[StBernard] Property Tax Issue

[Westley Annis]

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM REPRESENTATIVE TIM BURNS:

Many of you, like me, have received notification from the assessor's office
notifying you of your assessment value.  Note that this is not your property
tax bill ( even though a dollar sign was placed on it) but 10% of the fair
market value of the residence from which your property taxes will be based
upon when multiplied by the current millage rate.
 
If you wish to contest the value assessed to your residence, you need to
complete application for assessment review and return it to the office of
the assessor by October 16, 2008  which can be found on the St. Tammany
Parish Assessor's website <http://www.stassessor.org/>  by clicking here
<http://www.stassessor.org/review.pdf> .
 
After a reassessment year, state law requires that tax collected in the year
following a reassessment is adjusted so that it is equal to the tax
collected the previous year and the amount of millage is then rolled down to
satisfy this requirement.  If the millage is lowered because of an increase
in property values, it may be "rolled up" to the prior year's millage after
a public hearing and approval by a 2/3 vote of the taxing authority.    Many
of the taxing bodies are not even elected and one of the reasons that our
property taxes are so high is that taxing bodies have been rolling up the
millages, not only without our consent but in many cases  without our
knowledge. 
 
The only way to stop the taxing bodies from adding additional taxes and
insult to injury to our already stretched budgets and the rising insurance
costs in our mortgage payment is for the public to act and this time of
extreme economic uncertainty and hardship is oppose these hidden tax
increases.  Contact your local Assessor's office to find out information in
regards to dates and times of voting on millage rollups in your area.
 
I will also be introducing legislation again this year to stop this practice
of taxation without representation.  Although it has been defeated in the
past, we now have a reform Governor and a more aware and active public. I
will keep you apprised.
 
Tim