Homeowners in St. Tammany face property tax increases as property values rise
ST. TAMMANY PARISH, La. (WVUE) – Thousands of homeowners in St. Tammany Parish are receiving notices of a property tax increase as rising property values lead to higher tax bills.
While the increase in property values may seem good news at first glance, the resulting tax increases are causing concern among citizens.
“Everyone has seen real estate prices skyrocket. Our assessments are just now reflecting that and we’re seeing tax increases,” said Troy Dugas, St. Tammany’s deputy tax assessor.
The latest assessment, the first full property tax assessment since 2019, found that property values in the community increased by as much as 30%, resulting in an average property tax increase of 25%.
For some, the tax increase is even more serious.
“Twenty-five percent would be a modest amount compared to some of the proposals I’ve heard,” said Terry King of Concerned Citizens of St. Tammany, a watchdog group that opposes the new assessments and associated tax increases.
“We are not in favor of it, especially given how inadequate the services we receive from the government are,” King added.
The tax office explains that its role in influencing tax rates is limited.
“If you want to have a reassessment done, we can help you, but we don’t control the taxes – the tax authorities do that,” Dugas explained.
The impact of the tax increases will vary across municipalities, with some areas seeing larger increases than others, partly due to higher tax rates on local services.
“If you take a house in Slidell and move it to Covington, the taxes go down by a third,” Dugas said. “The fire district has 33 mills, Slidell Memorial has 6.7 mills and the city of Slidell has higher millages than anyone else in the community.”
King says there are still ways to reduce the tax burden.
“There are always opportunities for citizens to make changes,” he said.
Some fear that St. Tammany residents may consider moving out of the parish as a result.
If you wish to contest your property tax assessment, the Assessor’s Office recommends that you visit STPAO.org for more information.
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