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Coroner warns DNA lab funding will run out within two years after millage expiration; urges new millage or alternative revenue
Summary
Dr. Christopher Tait, the St. Tammany Parish coroner, told councilors the coroner millage ended in 2024 and that remaining dedicated funds will be exhausted in about two years; he said the parish’s in‑house DNA lab speeds investigations and that staffing losses have created a backlog.
Dr. Christopher Tait, St. Tammany Parish coroner, told councilors the coroner’s dedicated millage ended in 2024 and that the office’s remaining ad valorem and earned revenues will sustain operations for “about two years” if no new revenue source is secured. “DNA solves crime and is instrumental in prosecuting criminals,” Tait said, urging the council to consider funding options to maintain the DNA lab and autopsy capacity.
Tait said the coroner’s office currently performs many death investigations and handles a significant volume of commitments and cremation permits; he provided counts…
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