Finance committee advances four budget items, approves $2.4 million chilled‑water reroute for St. Tammany Parish jail

The St. Tammany Parish Finance Committee voted to forward four budget and grant items to the full council, including a capital amendment that expands a jail infrastructure project to $2.4 million, a finance staff member said.

Annie, a finance staff member who presented the committee packet, told members that February sales tax collections were "almost $6.3 million, which is about $157,000 more than they were in January," and projected roughly $80 million in cash collections to St. Tammany Parish government for fiscal 2026 if modest growth continues. She also reported $104,000 in February collections for the Highway 21 Economic Development District, up about 6% from last year, and estimated that district receipts could finish the year between $1.2 million and $1.4 million (the budgeted amount was $1.2 million).

Why it matters: the committee advanced three ordinance items and a…