Assumption Parish approves amended 2025 budgets and asks sheriff to boost inmate-health contribution

The Assumption Parish Police Jury on Nov. 25 approved amended 2025 budgets and heard proposed budgets for 2026 that show a shrinking general fund balance and raised concerns about sustaining services next year.

During the Finance Committee meeting, jurors accepted the list of bills and the October budget comparison statements before voting to approve a $502.65-per-month contract amendment with Correct Health for inmate medical services. The amendment increases the county’s annual contract cost and the jury subsequently voted to ask the sheriff to raise his office’s monthly contribution for inmate healthcare from $3,000 to $5,000.

Budget presentations included detailed fund tables: general fund revenues and expenditures, one‑percent sales tax allocations, road and drainage fund figures and individual district balances. Finance staff told jurors the 2026 proposed general-fund ending balance would fall to about $837,708 under current assumptions — a decline jurors said will require either cuts, new revenue or both.

Jurors discussed possible revenue steps, including stronger enforcement of occupational licenses and permit compliance. Several members also urged a meeting with the sheriff to discuss jail-related expenses and potential shared solutions. No change to tax rates or bonds was approved at the meeting; jurors said any such move would be discussed as a future choice.

What happens next: The jury accepted the proposed budgets for publication and will schedule follow-ups; the request to the sheriff is a formal action the jury flagged for intergovernmental discussion.