Parish Assessor

[zoe10850]

Does anyone believe we have "low taxes" in Lafayette Parish? I think we have a highly aggressive tax assessor, who thinks business should pay less, and homwowners should pay more. Compare your property taxes with people in neighboring parishes..we have lower millage rates, but higher taxes. That is because we are assessed higher.

And the taxing bodies just gave Assessor $600,000+ for a new computer system to squeeze more money out of taxpayers for the taxing bodies to take and spend, (apparently not on roads) on who knows what....Isn't this our money they are spending?

[zoe10850]

Apparently no one cares about how "our" tax assessor works against the homeowner, and for the business interests that fund his re-election. Again, we deserve what we elect through apathy.

[zoe10850]

Should go to his website. The assessor is letting us know that the 2004 tax bills will be late, but that is not his fault. Isn't this 2006, and haven't the 2005 tax bills been sent ?

[TBEAR]

Thats a bit ridiculous.

[RonnieF]

Went to the site. Apparently has not been updated in a while, but the Assessor is well educated according to his resume'.

By the way, I wonder if our taxes will go up in 2006? I know values escalated about 20% after Katrina/Rita. Maybe our government can find yet another way to legally rob us. I wish they would put the money to better use than "administrative leave", maybe roads ?

[percy]

What’s up with Mr. Comeaux, the tax assessor? Has his job been changed to the tax promoter?

Why is he making such a push for more property taxes? Isn’t his job to assess property taxes and not push for more property taxes?

www.2theadvocate.com/news/acadiana/2633151.html

Story in The Advocate

[abbd]

It's a constant battle now, fighting to keep our money for ourselves. Every elected official begs and pleads for more of our money. And the stupid thing is, some people are willing to give it to them.

[zoe10850]

Don't you like the way our officials promote "doublespeak"? Let me get this straight; If our property goes up in value, and the the taxing bodies do not "roll Millages forward" (read tax increase without a vote), then the taxing bodies are not getting adequate revenue according to Comeaux ? Is this man a total idiot (i guess we are as we elected him)? Every new property that comes on the roll, home or business is a new listing, and additional revenue, so where does this guy get off saying govt is "losing" money?

If my property increases in value based upon inflation, and I do not sell it, where is my gain? Why should the government benefit from inflation ? The fact is that if we vote on a millage, homeowners pay if they are not homestead exempt (municipal taxes are not covered by homestead exemption. but people who own nothing can vote to raise taxes on those who do own property....now that is fair. If I vote to pay say $10 dollars a year for fire protection, why should I pay $15 next year when I did not vote on this increase?

If no one else will say it, I will; the Assessor, Mr Comeaux is full of S---, and does not deserve to hold elected office and is clearly not a friend of taxpayers. He needs to drive that taxpayer owned Ford Excursion into the sunset, and the sooner, the better. What did he drive before he was elected? You can bet it was not a huge gas guzzler; putting gas in my little Dodge is getting quite expensive, and a drain on the old budget.

And thank you Percy, for alerting me to the article in the Advocate, god forbid our paper publish news about Lafayette so we know what our officials are doing. I will support anybody who runs against this guy (except williams or benjamin). I am tired of these guys, Durel included, being so cavilier with our money.

[TBEAR]

Ditto, good find on the article Percy.

I was waiting for something like this to come out.

[coolcajun]

hell why don't they(meaning the elected officials, i.e. state sen city council, state reps) take a pay cut or don't take a salary at all. most have jobs that pay very well. they eat free when going to a function, get a cell phone allowance, take free trips, just for trying to help the citizens. as i was taught when i was young, a penny saved is a penny earned. i know it is not much saved but every little bit helps.

as for the gasoline tax..... i can barley afford to put gas in my car now, without losing my house.

[ronnief]

why does our tax assessor take it upon himself to go to Baton Rouge and testify on behalf of pipeline companies for reduced assessments? You know if their assessments go down, our millage rates will go up. Whose side is this guy on anyway? I'm sorry, I suppose it is the people who fund his campaign, certainly not the already oppressed homeowners.

[zoe10850]

Is it a fact that the assessor's wife works for the Daily Advertiser ? Is that why we do not see any negative stuff about him ?

[guest1]

Good article, percy. It seems that the only way our local council can get additional funds is by raising taxes and selling bonds. Are there any other ways to generate revenue? Most of these guys are "successful" businessmen. Can't they come up with any new and fresh ideas?

"The administration’s proposed list is made up of projects promised in a similar bond issue in 1997 — projects never completed because of rising construction costs and cost estimates that fell short."

How about holding some people accountable when projects lag behind? Rising construction costs? Of course they'll rise from nine years ago until now.

[coolboy]

I think most of us would agree that higher taxes are okay. The only problem is that this government is so inept with keeping a good grip on city projects that I wouldn't trust them to run the local Po' Boy stand. How can Mr. Comeaux complain about how Lafayette taxpayers pay less than many residents in other cities in Louisiana, then watch as funding for projects is wasted?

C'mon, Mr. Comeaux. More money won't solve the problem, but perhaps some financial responsibility will.

[percy]

I thought the Assessor’s job was to assess property fairly and equitably. Why is Conrad Comeaux talking about the tax renewals on the ballot on July 15?

Why does the Assessor’s Office care if the taxes are renewed or even if there are any property taxes assessed by taxing authorities? These propositions have nothing to do with his office. Why Conrad Comeaux so hell bent in keeping our property taxes high by promoting renewals, etc, etc?

[zoe10850]

And he is a Republican, the party against big govt and excessive spending ? If I must speculate, I would surmise that someone is trying to curry favor from other govt officials. Yet another two-faced politician, exposed.

[abbd]

Republican my foot, he's another of the infamous Lafayette tax and spend liberals with an R behind his name. Never fails does it. Remember, when the government continues to rob Peter (in this case we the taxpayers), to pay Paul(in this case any politician, assessor, clerk of court, government employee, LEDA director, anyone who makes a buck or two off the government etc. or hanger on), the government can always count on the support of Paul. So there it is, Paul supporting Peter in his zeal to seperate the taxpayers from their money. Yep a plan only a Lafayette republican(tax and spend liberal with an r behind their name)can truly love and embrace. Ask your supposed republican duncilman how many tax increases he has opposed, bet that ain't many. The last tax increase vote I remember was raising our property tax to fund the LITE center and I don't remeber a republican duncilman who voted against that.

[zoe10850]

Hey ASSessor, how about confronting the taxing bodies and pointing out that the 20%+ increase in property values as well as all the new property coming on the tax roll generates millions in additional taxes. How on earty does one justify a millage rollforward on top of that ?

[Marie]

Well, in today's newspaper (?) the Assessor showed where he stands. He proposes cutting the values of business property by implying that the property is overvalued per tax commissiomn tables. He does concede that if values are dropped as he proposes, tax collections will drop, and that will allow taxing bodies to raise the millage rates ie. higher taxes on homeowners. He says so what. I say, he was not elected to shift the tax burden to the homeowners. Hey Comeaux, I noticed the homestead exemption has not been raised in 20 years, how about that ? Higher tax rates do not equate in lower tax bills dummy. The businesses will save nothing, but you are lying and saying they will, just to gain support in the business community.

[guest]

Our dopey assessor just does not get it. Collections to taxing authorities will be revenue neutral. If he re-assesses inventory under his plan and the revenue drops, taxing authorities will simply roll forward millages to make up the lost revenue.