Newly revived tax commission moves toward study of School Board tax operation

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There’s a $65 million question about the collection of sales taxes in St Landry Parish that may be settled this year.
A newly revived nine-member St. Landry Parish Sales and Use Tax Commission met Thursday at the St. Landry Parish Economic Development office.
Among the Commission’s agenda items was hiring an independent third party to study the operations of the School Board’s tax collection office. That did not happen, but the process was set in motion.
The study may guide the determination about what entity collects sales taxes in St. Landry Parish.
Andy Dakin, Commission chairman, said after the meeting the School Board has been contracted to collect sales taxes in St. Landry Parish for more than 20 years.
In 2017, collections totaled $65.8 million.
The School Board collects a 1 percent fee to do the collections, which means about $650,000 a year in revenue.
Patrick Jenkins, school superintendent, said after the meeting the School Board does not make any money in the sales tax department.
Jenkins said that due to a recent retirement there are two people working in the school system’s tax collection office in Opelousas. By the end of the month there will be five people working in the office, he said.
The staffing will allow a person to go on the road to make sure taxes are being collected, he said.
Accountability has been a question raised at Eunice Board of Aldermen meetings. City government has been barred from knowing who pays sales taxes and that’s information Board members said they used to receive.
Jenkins said Thursday it is illegal to release that information.
“We can provide how much, but we cannot provide the who. That’s against the law,” he said.
Dakin said recent attorney general opinions suggest if an entity has the authority to levy, collect and enforce taxes then they have the right to get the information on who is paying. Confidentiality must be maintained, he said.
As for the planned evaluation, Jenkins said, “I believe that if we work together the assessment they are doing like any other assessment can help identify some areas of weakness.”
He added, “We welcome the assessment. We are not afraid of it because we want to make sure that we are doing the best for the citizens of St. Landry Parish.”
Last year the Commission’s membership was revamped to broaden representation.
Members now include appointees from the sheriff’s office, School Board, Solid Waste Commission, cities of Opelousas and Eunice, parish government, parish economic development, and two members from the parish municipal association.
The city of Opelousas, School Board and Solid Waste Commission each had two members on the tax panel.
Dakin, who was elected chairman in November, said interest was raised because some people felt like the School Board was not be responsible and efficient in it is duties collecting taxes.
In November there was a movement to issue a 60-day termination notice to the School Board.
“I opposed that because I felt like that seemed rash. I didn’t think you could turn around a $65 million tax collection business in 60 days,” he said.
The third-party evaluation may be completed this year, he said.
Commission members are Kevin Brown, Opelousas, appointed by city of Eunice; Mike Carron, Opelousas, appointed by city of Opelousas; Andy Dakin, Sunset, appointed by St. Landry Economic Development; Jerry Domengeaux, Sunset, appointed by St. Landry Parish Solid Waste Commission; Ken Marks, Port Barre, appointed by St. Landry Parish Council; Johnny Ardoin, Port Barre, appointed by St. Landry Parish Municipal Association; Sherri McGovern, Opelousas, appointed by St. Landry Parih sheriff; Tressa Miller, Opelouas, appointed by St. Landry Parish School Board; and Gil Savoy Jr., Port Barre, appointed by St. Landry Parish Municipal Association.