St. Tammany Voters Could Decide On New Sales Tax To Fund Justice System

St. Tammany Voters Could Decide On New Sales Tax To Fund Justice System

St. Tammany Parish voters are being asked to consider a new parishwide sales tax aimed at funding several components of the parish’s criminal justice system.

The proposal that has advanced through the process is a ¼ cent sales and use tax, or 0.25%, for a period of five years.

If approved by voters, collection of the tax would begin April 1, 2027.

The measure is scheduled for the December 12, 2026 election, according to records from the Louisiana State Bond Commission.

Money generated by the tax would be dedicated to criminal prosecution, court services and other justice-related expenses, including funding for:

The District Attorney’s Office

The 22nd Judicial District Court

The St. Tammany Parish Justice Center

The DNA Lab

The Coroner’s Office

The Parish Correctional Facility

The proposal comes after months of discussion over how St. Tammany Parish Government will continue paying expenses associated with agencies and services that parish officials say they are required by law to fund.

During an April 30 special meeting, the Parish Council considered three potential ways of addressing the General Fund shortfall: a sales tax, property tax or franchise fee.

The council ultimately moved toward the sales-tax option.

Earlier in the process, officials discussed a 0.3% sales tax that was projected to generate approximately $22 million annually. However, that is not the tax rate contained in the measure that subsequently advanced.

The proposal scheduled to go before voters is 0.25%.

That means an additional 25 cents in sales tax on every $100 of taxable purchases, or $2.50 on $1,000.

The five year limitation is also significant. According to the State Bond Commission’s July agenda, the tax would be authorized for five years rather than being imposed permanently.

The debate over funding has been building for years and has even resulted in litigation involving Parish Government and components of the 22nd Judicial District Court over the extent of the parish’s funding obligations.

In May, the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal reversed a lower court ruling concerning those obligations and sent the matter back to the trial court for further proceedings.

Parish officials have warned that failing to address the funding problem could result in substantial cuts to the parish’s justice system.

Opponents of the tax will ultimately have a different question to consider… whether the parish’s existing revenues should be sufficient to pay those obligations without asking residents to approve another sales tax.

Either way, the final decision will not belong solely to Parish Government.

St. Tammany voters will have the opportunity to decide at the ballot box on December 12.