City Sales Tax Loss Mounts
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
The City of Opelousas has experienced at least $1.4 million of lost revenue due to the inability to collect a citywide, 1-cent sales tax during the past several months, according to City Treasurer Lawanda St. Ann.
Although voters approved the restoration of the sales tax during a July municipal election, the city could not legally begin collecting the tax again until Oct. 1., St. Ann said.
During her September presentation before the Board, St. Ann indicated that the city had already lost $857,440 in sales tax revenue.
More specifically during an Oct. 9 Board of Alderman meeting, St. Ann said that during September the city collected $584,335 in sales tax revenue, which was an estimated $509,000 less than what the city normally receives.
St. Ann said she plans to have more information on the sales tax loss and the sales tax amount collected in October, prepared for a scheduled November 12 Board of Aldermen meeting.
The 2026 operating budget adopted by the Board anticipates collecting $6 million this year from the special sales tax approved by the voters in July.
Citywide revenues and expenditures for 2026 became effective Sept. 1.
The city operating budget reviewed by the Board of Aldermen last week, showed that the city experienced a September net monthly revenue loss of $526,024.
City operating budget revenues for September were $904,822, while expenses were $1.43 million, the budget review showed.
The police ($349,143) and fire departments ($250,513) represented the biggest expenses for the city during September.
Water and sewer proceeds each showed net profits, St. Ann pointed out.
The water department experienced a $388,635 profit for September. The sewer department profit was $77,032.
