Ascension sees 6% rise in tax revenue
GONZALES — Ascension Parish government sales tax collections ended the fiscal year between 5.9 percent and 6.3 percent ahead of last year, a parish sales tax report says.
From the parish’s three dedicated sales tax funds combined, the parish collected a total of $34.7 million in 2011, the report says.
That’s $1.98 million more than the parish’s three sales taxes garnered in 2010 when they amounted to $32.7 million combined, or a 6 percent increase.
Collections in each of the three funds fell just shy of the all-time highs in 2008 for parish government collections, according to parish data.
The parish’s three sales tax funds tallied a combined $34.9 million in 2008.
“So we’re right there at it. Just a few hundred thousand maybe different,” Gwen LeBlanc, chief financial officer, told the Parish Council Finance Committee Monday about its 1-cent sales tax.
The parish’s primary 1-cent sales tax, which pays for many basic government operations, took in nearly $16.2 million in 2011, about 6.05 percent more than in 2010.
The parish has two half-cent sales taxes, one dedicated to East Ascension drainage and other to roads and fire. Those sales tax funds saw increases of 5.9 percent and 6.3 percent, respectively, taking in $10.75 million and $7.78 million.
The parish budgeted for a decrease in 2011. LeBlanc told the council the parish was budgeting conservatively in the uncertain economic environment.
The budget called for combined collections of $28.3 million. At $34.7 million in 2011, total collections exceeded the budget by a combined 22.6 percent.
Under the 2011 budget ordinance, any surplus in the 1-cent sales tax fund is split between the utilities and the road funds after certain requirements to shore up other funds are met.
Other action taken during the meeting included:
NEW ROOF: The Finance Committee agreed, 9-0, to provide $15,000 to help the River Road African American Heritage Museum pay for a new roof on the True Friends Benevolent Society Hall, 711 Lessard St., Donaldsonville.
According to a Nov. 3 letter from museum executive director Kathe Hambrick Jackson to Parish President Tommy Martinez, the building is the oldest and largest existing benevolent society hall remaining in Louisiana.
The building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, dates from 1886.
Darryl Gissel, who sits on the museum board, told the committee the roof was damaged by Hurricane Gustav in 2008 and needs to be replaced to preserve the building. Gissel said the museum is contributing $4,000 to the $19,000 project.
He told the council the building was seized by the U.S. Marshals Service in 2006 under allegations it was donated with ill-gotten gains but the office realized it was incorrect.
He said the museum had to buy the building back from the Marshals Service for maintenance costs and, while in the federal agency’s, Gustav damaged the roof, he said.
The full council must still vote on the appropriation.