UPDATE: Thursday night, the St. Tammany Parish Council approved a tax increase that’s expected to raise a total of $1 million in a year.
Homeowners will pay either two dollars or $2.75 per $100,000 of assessed property value more each year. Some of the money will go to the DA’s Office or the jail for inmate medical costs, while other funding will go to the animal shelter which is doing its best to be a no-kill facility.
Despite taking in nearly 1,200 animal over the last 90 days, one employee told the council will only go to help animals and not toward raises.
“We cannot keep up with the numbers,” says Emily Hirtle with STP Animal Services. “And I just want to point out that none of us are asking for a raise. We’re happy to take the Starbucks pay, or less, the Chick-Fil-A pay. We’ll do that night or day if it means that we can save them.”
“She should have been our only speaker. We could have voted on this, and we could go,” added David Fitzegerald.
The council also is also voting to begin the process of renewing its three-month moratorium on zoning changes related to residential construction. Thursday night’s vote was procedural and simply clears the way for the council to vote on extending the moratorium during its August meeting.
THE COUNCIL ALSO IS ALSO VOTING… TO BEGIN THE PROCESS… OF RENEWING ITS THREE-MONTH MORATORIUM ON ZONING CHANGES– RELATED TO RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION.
TONIGHT’S VOTE WAS PROCEDURAL… AND SIMPLY CLEARS THE WAY FOR THE COUNCIL TO VOTE ON EXTENDING THE MORATORIUM DURING ITS AUGUST MEETING.
MANDEVILLE, La. (WGNO)— Property taxes and traffic are two hot-button issues on the docket for Thursday’s St. Tammany Parish Council meeting.
At 6 p.m., a public hearing is set to start, surrounding a millage that could raise homeowner property taxes, the other issue being discussed is whether to keep a high-density moratorium in place to slow the growth of the parish.
The parish council is considering rolling out a property tax millage–something that hasn’t been done since 2006.
“If you live in unincorporated St Tammany Parish, it will be about $2.70 per $100,000 of home value per year, and then for those who live in municipalities, it would be about two dollars more annually per $100,000 of home value,” explained parish PIO Mike Vinsanau.
The millage goes toward the general fund, which in part helps pay the District Attorney’s office. Currently, DA Warren Montgomery is suing the parish, saying he wasn’t allocated sufficient funds to run his office.
“Overall, about 98% of our general fund goes toward the state-mandated costs, and then lines that share that are the jail and district attorneys,” parish Vice-Chairman Jake Airey added.
The property tax rates were previously approved by voters. The council can only vote to rase the rate as long as it does not exceed the number voters had approved.
Another hot topic being discussed by the parish: growth in St. Tammany.
“I commute from New Orleans,” explained Kylie Fomby, who grew up in St Tammany. “It’s easier for me to drive at 5 p.m. traffic in NOLA than it is going off I-12 to Covington.”
Fomby is frustrated, saying getting around town is one of the hardest parts of her day.
“Anywhere on the North Shore, it seems way more congested. It wasn’t made for this many people,” Fomby added.
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An ordinance that put a pause on re-zoning residential properties has been in place since May. The goal is to get a grip on development.
“We are seeing 13% fewer homes than we were at this time last year,” explained Vinsanau.
The ordinance, which is slated to expire in August, will also be re-introduced at Thursday’s meeting but will not voted upon until next month.
Two other millages will be discussed as well – one for public health, the other for the Department of Animal Services.
