Police Jury ends tax exemption for Union Tank Car

The tax exemption is forgotten no more.
The Evangeline Parish Police Jury held its January meeting on Monday night inside the courthouse. The meeting featured its typical standard measures like the authorization of payment of bills, appointing committee members and approving the previous meeting’s minutes.
Then about half an hour or so into the meeting, Secretary-Treasurer Donald Bergeron informed the jury of a 2 percent tax exemption that was provided to Union Tank Car by the Jury back in 2005, an exemption that had never been renewed by the Jury and one that officially ended in 2013 but yet continued to be given to Union Tank Car.
The exemption was brought to Bergeron by a member of the Evangeline Parish Sales Tax Commission during discussions concerning the Jury’s problems collecting sales tax over the past few years. Bergeron said he was told “you may want to look at the Exemption.”
Bergeron further told the Jury that the exemption has cost the Jury approximately $15,000 per month, based on figures for the past 21 months. Based on those financial figures, that has resulted in Union Tank Car being exempted $180,000 in sales taxes per year, and a grand total of $1.98 million.
“It is 11 years if you do the calculation,” Juror Rocky Rider said. “If you can’t get started off the ground in 11 years then there is a problem. We need to do what is right for the parish.”
Juror Bryan Vidrine asked Assistant District Attorney, and Jury’s legal counsel, Marcus Fontenot if there were any other businesses in the parish that have a similar tax exemption
Fontenot stated, “I was not around when the exemption was passed, but no other businesses have been afforded that and currently you cannot grant one.” He further said that tax exemptions typically have “to be a benefit to the public.”
Vidrine asked Fontenot to do research to see if the Jury was responsible for collection of back taxes.
Juror Eric Soileau added, “I do appreciate them being here and the Jury wants to work with them.”
Rider made a motion to not renew the sales tax exemption effective January 1, 2017. The motion passed unanimously.
The Jury also passed an amended Water Permit Ordinance which allows the Jury to revoke a water permit to anyone or business who is currently in violation of any parish ordinance. The Water department will be notified by registered mail of the revocation, and that department will have 30 days to disconnect the water of that entity. If that water department does not disconnect the water within the 30-day period the Jury will then fine that department $25 per day until the disconnection is completed.
Arthur Sampson addressed the Jury about what they could do to help give parish military veterans a discount at parks, including the Jury-owned Crooked Creek.
Juror Lamar Johnson said, “I don’t see a problem with that.”
Added Public Works Director Chester Granger, “We give a 10 percent discount to the elderly. Why not the veterans?”
The Jury voted unanimously to give parish veterans a 10 percent discount at Crooked Creek.
During his Secretary-Treasurer’s Report, Bergeron also wanted to remind the public that there will be 11 tax millage renewals on the ballot for the March 25, 2017 election and said, “If you are not registered to vote then please go register.”
In other business the Jury approved:
• Attendance to the 2017 Annual GOHSEP Conference from January 31-February 2 in Baton Rouge for Liz Hill and Sherry Buller
• Re-elected Ryan Ardoin as Police Jury President and Ryan Williams as Vice President for 2017
• A $1 per hour pay raise for Freeman Celestine, who is foreman for Region
• A liquor license for B&S Neighborhood Market, LLC