Jefferson Parish council adopts operating and capital budget amendments, allocates opioid settlement funds to homeless services

On Jan. 14 the Jefferson Parish Council voted unanimously to approve amendments to the 2026 operating and capital budgets. The operating budget amendments include a $275,000 appropriation from ambulance district fund balance for a one-time payment to Grand Isle Volunteer Emergency Services for a new ambulance, smaller district-level allocations for speed trailers and landscaping, and the striking of a proposed reduction to a Lafitte volunteer fire company allotment.

The capital budget amendments recognized transfers for landscaping projects and included an allocation of $500,000 from the opioid settlement to project 5820002 for an amendment to a cooperative endeavor agreement with the Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority to support a homeless service center in Council District 2.

Councilman Walker moved to approve the amendments; amendments were adopted unanimously and the operating and capital budgets were approved as amended. The council recorded votes via the new electronic voting visuals and confirmed each amendment passed without recorded opposition.

Council members described several district-specific allocations (video poker and off-track funds for landscaping, East Bank tourism funds for a King Zulu flag-raising ceremony) and said the amendments reflect a mix of district priorities and parish-wide investments. The council did not set additional reporting milestones on the opioid-settlement-funded homeless-service project in the public discussion.