Harlan Kirgan
A state tax error is costing St. Landry Parish Government $300,000 that it must pay to Grand Coteau in payments through February 2023.
Video poker revenue that the state was supposed to send to the town of Grand Coteau ended up being paid to St. Landry Parish Government from April 2016 to January 2019, according to a letter the parish received from the State Police Gaming Audit Section.
“The revenue from Go Bear’s Casino located in Grand Coteau was inadvertently classified as outside the city limits. Consequently, monies which should have gone to the town of Grand Coteau were incorrectly paid to St. Landry Parish,” the letter stated.
A payment agreement was presented to the Parish Council’s Administrative-Finance Committee meeting on June 5 that stated there is $237,223.07 left to pay Grand Coteau.
The agreement, which is to go before the Parish Council at a June 19 meeting calls for three $75,000 payment starting in Febuary 2020. The final payment $12,223.07 on Feb. 1, 2023.
In other finance news, Cain said parish government will reduce its request for a line of credit from $1.5 million to $1 million. Parish Government borrowed $887,000 last year as a bridge fund to when parish property taxes are paid, she said.