St. Tammany panel targets tax consolidation
A new volunteer task force meets to review parish taxing districts ahead of a Dec. 12 sales tax vote.
By Justin Brooks ·
St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper’s Reset Task Force met for the first time on Oct. 28 at Parish Council Chambers. The group was formed to examine the parish's tax structure and determine how taxpayer money is spent. Its work coincides with a parishwide push by government leaders to secure voter approval for a quarter-cent sales tax on the Dec. 12 ballot.
Cooper argued that the parish relies on an aging tax structure built on numerous taxing districts. He stated that the current system is inefficient and that the parish would benefit from consolidating these entities. The task force aims to identify the best opportunities for such consolidation and will present recommendations to the parish council and the public.
The composition of the panel has shifted since its announcement two weeks prior. Cooper initially indicated that members would be drawn from parish agencies. The final makeup will instead include a mix of residents, business leaders, and professionals. Cooper explained that removing himself and other elected officials allows for the inclusion of more business-minded individuals.
Ten of the 15 planned members were named at the Oct. 28 meeting. The group includes Tod Klotzbach, a retired executive of a national insurance company; Ronald Gitz, executive director of Society of Louisiana CPAs; and Bert Norton, chief of St. Tammany Fire District 4. Greg Byers serves on the board of Fire District 6, while Travis Thompson is a board member of Concerned Citizens of St. Tammany.
Other named members include Kristen Stanley-Wallace, a local attorney; Ariana LeBlanc, a former educator; and Tim Pillsbury, a Slidell Rotarian. Russell Richardson is the president and CEO of St. Tammany Economic Development. Jennifer Goings serves as the director of Recreation District 12.
Cooper’s office stated that task force members are volunteers who will operate independently of elected officials. The group will hold its next meeting on Dec. 9 at 5:30 p.m. at the Parish Council Chambers on Koop Drive in Mandeville.
