Jefferson Parish Council adopts $1.029 billion 2026 budget, defers larger Deloitte amendment

Jefferson Parish — The Jefferson Parish Council unanimously adopted the parish’s 2026 operating and capital budgets on Wednesday, approving about $1,029,000,000 in proposed expenditures while preserving a 15% reserve policy and a proposed 5% merit pay increase for certain classified employees.

The administration, represented at the meeting by Chief Operating Officer Steve LeChute standing in for Parish President Cynthia Lee Chang, told the council the capital program totals about $139,000,000, with the largest share—approximately $127.8 million—earmarked for public-works projects such as drainage, streets, water and sewer improvements. LeChute cited planned allocations of roughly $36,000,000 for drainage, $28,000,000 for streets, $25,000,000 for water-system improvements and $37,000,000 for sewer-system work. He urged the council to approve both the operating and capital ordinances as presented.

"The 2026 proposed budget follows conservative fiscal policies while maintaining the level of service our citizens have come to…