Tax issue

Submitted by admin on Wed, 05/21/2008 - 02:40

Between now and July 15, the Parish Council must decide whether to raise your taxes a little, or a lot, or not at all.

Either way, though, if you’re a homeowner, you are going to shoulder a larger and ever increasing burden of financing public services, according to Lawrence Patin, the parish tax assessor.

Patin appeared before the council Tuesday, May 20, to explain their options with regard to property taxes. The values of certain properties, real estate in particular, have risen significantly over the past four years, and when tax assessments follow suit – as by law they must every four years – parish taxing bodies like the council are potentially going to be raking in a more money.

Revenues to the parish from the various dedicated taxes could rise from $26 million to $29 million overnight.

Or it could go up less, or not at all, depending on action taken by the council at its August meeting.

The choices are these: