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Lafourche assessor proposes shale‑hopper barge values; industry questions some sizes and costs
Summary
Lafourche Parish Assessor Wendy Thibodeaux proposed adding shale hopper barge cost rows to the Tax Commission's vessel tables based on broker averages; an industry representative said some sizes are not present in Louisiana and that the proposed costs appear higher than manufacturer estimates.
Wendy Thibodeaux, Lafourche Parish Assessor, asked the Louisiana Tax Commission on Aug. 20 to add specific cost entries for shale hopper barges to chapter 7 of the personal‑property rules, saying she averaged price estimates from three brokers and submitted the middle figures to avoid outliers.
"I reached out to brokers, three different brokers, and I came up with this table, the new cost. According to the three brokers, I took the middle number," Thibodeaux said, asking that the shale‑hopper rows be added in addition to existing hopper‑barge categories.
Industry representative Craig Brewer (MarMac) said his review found no known 175‑by‑26 or 290‑by‑305 vessels in the state and that his manufacturer estimate to construct a 195‑by‑35 shale barge was about $1.2 million, which he said suggested the assessor’s figures appeared about 50% high. Brewer said he is attempting to open a collaborative dialogue with assessors so both sides can present a joint proposal at a later meeting.
Assessor Thibodeaux noted she holds a certification from Lloyd's Maritime Academy for vessel valuation and said her table was intended to address a specific shale‑barge subtype she had not previously known was in use in Louisiana.
The commission received these submissions and testimony; commissioners thanked Thibodeaux for professional input and noted staff and industry should continue dialog before the tentative September hearing.
