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St. Tammany Parish Council votes to pursue sales tax to shore up court, jail and DA funding
Summary
After receiving analyses from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor and consultants, the council unanimously amended a resolution to pursue a parishwide sales tax (approx. 0.3%) with the stated intent of making it tax-neutral through offsets; the measure will go to voters following required public steps.
The St. Tammany Parish Council voted unanimously on May 1 to pursue a parishwide sales tax as the county’s preferred path to address a shortfall in funding for state-mandated criminal justice services and other unfunded agencies.
Parish President Michael B. Cooper and consultants briefed the council and public on alternatives including a franchise fee, a targeted property tax and a sales tax. Ricardo Callender of PFM Financial Advisors told the council the three options varied in timing and economic impact: a 5% franchise fee on utilities could raise roughly $13.6 million–$15.7 million but is volatile and applies largely to unincorporated areas; a parcelwide sales tax of about 0.3% (three-tenths of a percent) was estimated to generate roughly $22 million with an average household effect of about $81 a year; and a property tax of about 7.33 mills would produce a similar total but would not begin delivering revenue until 2028.
"The sales tax is the only option that gets money to where it’s needed in time to prevent service collapses," Councilmember (speaker 10) said during debate, echoing several colleagues who said franchise and property tax options could not meet the urgent 2027 funding gap.
The legislative auditor’s review, presented by Edward P. Seiler, concluded the parish’s overall tax burden per capita is comparable with similar parishes but that most local revenue is dedicated. Seiler said Saint Tammany lacks an undedicated parishwide sales tax, leaving parish government with limited flexible revenue: "We find the general fund is structurally imbalanced because recurring revenues are less than recurring expenditures," he said.
District Attorney Julia Sims and multiple prosecutors and investigators described programs that would be at risk under steep cuts. "We prosecute more than 3,000 felony cases a year; these reductions would force us to cut staff, send some cases nowhere, and slow prosecutions that protect victims," Sims told the council. Prosecutors and victim-service staff described a special victims unit and opioid initiatives that they said depend on current funding levels.
Public commenters were sharply divided. League of Women Voters president Eileen DeHarrow cautioned against repeatedly asking voters for sales taxes after past defeats and urged broad public outreach, while other speakers emphasized public safety and the cost of failing to fund courts and jails. Several residents and speakers pressed for independent service audits of taxing entities and transparency about how existing dedicated revenues are spent.
Councilmember (speaker 4) moved to amend the resolution to specify that the council pursue a sales tax, with the motion including an intent to seek offsets so the measure is "tax neutral or better." The motion was seconded and carried by unanimous roll call with two members absent.
Council and administration staff outlined next steps: if the council pursues a sales tax the council must prepare ballot language and follow publication and election-calling procedures; if a ballot measure is approved the earliest practical revenue could arrive is in 2027. Administration staff cautioned that franchise fees typically require renegotiation of utility agreements and would not generate substantial funds until contracts expire in 2027–2028.
The council’s action tonight was procedural: it identifies the revenue path the council intends to pursue and does not itself implement any tax. Officials said additional council votes, public outreach and ballot preparations will follow. The council adjourned after the vote.
