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Assumption Parish accepts final 2024 amended budgets and weighs state tax plan ahead of March ballot
Summary
The Police Jury approved final amended 2024 budgets across dozens of funds and discussed a proposed state tax restructuring that would fund one‑time payments to parishes that opt out of the inventory tax; jurors said they need more analysis and public education before March.
The Assumption Parish Police Jury on Dec. 18, 2024 approved final amended 2024 budgets for the parish’s general, special and enterprise funds and began planning how to respond to a state tax restructuring set for a March ballot.
The finance director presented line‑by‑line totals, saying the general fund total revenue is $2,682,075 and 1% sales‑tax revenue is $3,888,997. Following a detailed review of dozens of funds and special districts, jurors moved and carried a motion to accept the amended 2024 budgets as presented.
Why it matters: jurors were cautioned that reported ending fund balances reflect budgeted receipts, not cash on hand, and that rising costs and interfund transfers will require follow‑up. Speaker 8 (finance staff) noted, “Keep in mind, fund balances and cash are two different things…we don’t have that cash in hand,” underscoring timing risks for early‑year expenditures.
During the finance briefing, a juror recapped a meeting with state officials, Senator Ed Price and Representative Chad Brown, about a proposed constitutional amendment that would raise the state sales tax by a half‑cent. The sale‑tax increase would fund one‑time payments to parishes that choose to opt out of the inventory tax; jurors were told they have until July 2026 to make a decision but said they need numbers to inform voters before the March ballot. Juror 10 said officials “will present us with the numbers both ways so that we can look at it and make a decision,” and also cautioned that key local stakeholders — including the sheriff and school board — must agree on any parish position.
Jurors directed the finance committee to meet after the first of the year to further analyze transfers and options to close projected gaps. The jury also approved routine agenda items including payment of bills through Dec. 13, 2024, and the parish’s 2025 meeting and holiday schedule.
Next steps: finance committee members plan to meet with parish staff to refine projections and discuss potential impacts of the state tax proposal; jurors said they will distribute the state’s scenarios to the public before the March election.
