By: HEATHER
BOGARD
Associate Editor
Rotarian Dr. Hosea “Joey” Soileau welcomed Evangeline Parish Assessor Chris Guillory as the guest speaker for the January 30, meeting of the Ville Platte Rotary Club. Josh Fontenot, Chief Deputy and CPA, was Guillory’s guest and also helped with the presentation.
Guillory opened by saying he and his staff are there to answer any questions and provide information to the residents. He said a 2023 assessor’s report will be mailed out within the next couple of weeks as a way for the office to share information and be fully transparent with the voters.
Guillory provided an update on potential additions to the tax roll in 2024, noting the impact on millage totals for Evangeline Parish. He shared Pine Prairie Energy will be on the tax roll this year, which will bring in roughly $2.5 million in added revenue, accounting for an approximate 10 percent increase. This amount is roughly equivalent to the addition of 1000 - $300,000 homes in the area and is huge for the parish.
Guillory then discussed the $305 million solar farm project in the Chicot area. He noted the IDB (Industrial Development Board) and police jury are in negotiations on what the annual tax would be. Guillory said that is out of his office’s hands and they can only present what the amounts could potentially be. He stated once the pilot (payment in lieu of taxes) payment is ironed out, the police jury will have to approve it and then a hard, accurate number will be available. The next IDB meeting will be held on February 6, at 4 p.m. at the SLCC C.B. Coreil Campus in Ville Platte.
Guillory also shared whatever the amount is, that will be added to the tax roll and will then be distributed to each entity according to their millage. He noted the additional revenue coming in during a reassessment year has the ability to affect property taxes, noting the added revenue will lower the property tax. Guillory said the taxing district is authorized to keep the millage rate where it is and collect additional revenue or roll it down. If it goes down, millage rates would also go down.
The next Rotary meeting will be held Tuesday, February 6, with a program presented by Rotarian Dr. Kirk Soileau.
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