City Agenda Includes Sales Tax

BOBBY ARDOIN

Editor/Consulting Writer

The scheduled 5 pm Tuesday meeting for the Opelousas Board of Aldermen includes Board discussion for an annual municipality-collected sales tax proposition that could be placed on the July 12 ballot, according to a meeting agenda issued publicly on Friday.

Although it was not stated on the agenda, the proposed tax proposition is apparently a request to renew a 15-year, one-cent sales tax for several city expenditures that include police, firefighters, sewerage, waste disposal, street improvements, public works and salaries.

The agenda item also does not indicate the amount of revenue the tax is expected to generate during a budgetary year.

In addition the agenda item states that since the existing tax renewal is apparently expected to expire sometime in May, that the Board is also being asked on Tuesday to approve a 0.17 percent extension for the current sales tax before the renewal proposition is placed before votes on July 12.

Also on the Tuesday meeting agenda is an annual presentation by the city auditor for municipal finances and expenditures during 2024.

City Taxes And Taxing Districts

Currently the city is collecting about 10.2 percent in sales taxes.

However customers are also being charged an extra 1 percent within designated and incorporated areas of the city by the Central St. Landry Economic District and the Opelousas Downtown Development.

The extra penny for CSLED is charged for goods and services purchased at vendors along the Interstate 49 service roads.

ODD collects its extra 1-cent sales tax at large volume stores located on the southside of Opelousas.

In 2024 CSLED used $1.5 million of sales tax revenues to purchase the St. Landry Equine Center on Guilbeau Road, south of Opelousas

CSLED also uses the tax revenues to pay for grass cutting and lighting improvements along the I-49 corridor from U.S. 190 to the Guilbeau Road extension.

ODD has served as a major funding entity for Opelousas city projects such as Phases 1 and 2 for South City Park projects and assisting with Opelousas City Hall and Opelousas Museum and Interpretative air conditioning and heating improvements.

The ODD is financing most of each phase of South City Park projects that includes $8 million in upgrades for Donald Gardner Stadium and another $2.89 million for a municipal Civic Center located on the park boulevard.

Both the ODD and CSLED each collect about $120,000 monthly in sales tax revenues.

The ODD and CSLED meet once during early morning meetings at the St. Landry Parish Economic and Development District office on I-49