Annual Report - Lafourche Parish Assessor - 2021-2022

PARISH

2021 & 2022

Wendy L. Thibodeaux, CLA

Lafourche Parish Assessor

FROM THE DESK OF THE LAFOURCHE PARISH ASSESSOR.

Citizens of Lafourche Parish,

This last several years have been a trying time for all, and my wish is that each of you within our great Parish have remained safe. As we move forward in 2023, I am delighted to provide you with updated information regarding the financial status of Lafourche Parish.

This annual report has been combined to include all essential 2021 and 2022 ad valorem tax data. My staff and I hope that you find this report to be informative and we are prepared to assist you in any way. Please feel free to contact our office with any feedback or questions you may have, as we intend to continue to work diligently to better serve you.

All my Love 4 Lafourche,

TAX ROLL OVERVIEW

The 2022 tax roll of Lafourche Parish, including all taxable property within the parish is $894,618,476. Still recovering from Hurricane Ida, we have seen a decrease in the taxable assessed value of real estate and personal property.

2022 TAXABLE ASSESSED VALUE | PARISHES

Jefferson: $3,958,267,029

St. Charles: $1,700,971,420

Terrebonne: $1,041,672,410

Lafourche: $894,618,476

St. James: $675,323,797

St. Mary: $573,365,472

St. John: $772,895,358

Assumption: $204,645,105

CHANGES IN ASSESSED VALUE

Homestead Exemption excluded.

$983,643,976

$751,221,860

$894,618,476

Wendy L. Thibodeaux, CLA Lafourche Parish Assessor

Wendy L. Thibodeaux, CLA

THE LAFOURCHE ASSESSOR’S OFFICE IN THE COMMUNITY

The Lafourche Parish Assessor’s Office is committed to providing assessments of all property within Lafourche Parish, both real and personal, as accurately and as equitably as possible. Our office also is committed to being active in the communities we all call home throughout Lafourche Parish.

Your Assessor and her team are hard at work for the constituents of Lafourche Parish. Assessor Thibodeaux was named Assessor of the Year in 2022 along with Bayou Industrial Group’s B.I.G. Achiever. In addition to these recognitions, Assessor Thibodeaux continues to work for fair and equitable assessment practices through her involvement as:

• District 1 Board of Directors / Louisiana Assessor’s Association

• Chairman of the Legislative Committee / Louisiana Assessors’ Association

• Chairman of the Watercraft Committee / Louisiana Assessors’ Association

• Co-Chairman of the Assessor’s OrientationProfessional Development Committee / Louisiana Assessors’ Association

• Member of the Oil and Gas Committee / Louisiana Assessors’ Association

UNDERSTANDING YOUR ANNUAL TAX BILL

Your total tax due may change year-to-year as millage rates increase or decrease. Districts have the ability to increase or decrease their millage each year based on the voter approved millage rate.

1. HOW ARE TAXES DETERMINED?

Your property tax due is determined by multiplying your assessed value by millage rates that apply to the area in which the property is located.

A freeze is applied to the assessed value not the millage rates.

2. WHERE ARE MY EXEMPTIONS?

Exemptions are deducted from the total assessed value. If you are 100% exempt, you will not receive a tax bill.

3. WHY DOES MY TOTAL DUE CHANGE EACH YEAR?

Each taxing district levies these rates during public meetings held every year. (View all millage rates on page 6)

4. HOW MUCH DO I OWE?

The total you owe is listed at the bottom of your tax statement. The total on your statement includes all exemptions.

HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION

In order to qualify for homestead exemption, one must own and occupy the house as his/her primary residence. Regardless of how many houses are owned, no one is entitled to more than one homestead exemption. With a maximum of $7,500 of assessed value, except in those parishes whereby voters approved that the next $7,500 of the assessed valuation on property receiving the homestead, which is owned and occupied by a veteran with a service connected disability rating of 100% by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, shall be exempt from ad valorem taxation. You must go into the Assessor's office and apply for homestead exemption as soon as you purchase and occupy your home. You are required to notify the Assessor's office if you change residence.

HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION ANNUAL INFO

HURRICANE IDA

IMPACTS ON LAFOURCHE PARISH AND PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS

On August 29, 2021, Hurricane Ida made landfall at Port Fourchon and became the second-most damaging and intense hurricane to ever make landfall in Louisiana.

Your Lafourche Parish Assessor’s Office first made contact with our staff to ensure their safety and then immediately started the assessment of damaged properties within the parish.

Within seven days, we gathered aerial imagery of the entire parish to allow our team to identify damages sustained on residential and commercial properties.

Assessor Thibodeaux also imposed reductions on all property tax bills to allow residents the ability to recover with less worry on their owed taxes.

Our parish is resilient and we continue to move forward with rebuilding. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your tax bill, we always invite you to call or visit one of our offices across Lafourche Parish

In 2021 — residents received tax bills reflective of up to a 50% reduction based on damage in their area.

In 2022 — 2022 tax bills were updated to reflect the 2020 values on improvements before Ida.

YOUR 2021 TAX DOLLARS AT WORK

Due to Hurricane Ida, the 2021 Report was not mailed. This report contains Your Tax Dollars At Work for both 2021 and 2022.

The Lafourche Parish Assessor has the responsibility of discovery, listing, and valuation of all property within the parish boundaries. All taxable property valued by the Assessor is then taxed ad valorem, or “according to value” by each of the various taxing districts listed. Each taxing district levies these rates during public meetings held every year.

2021 PROPERTY TAXES IN LAFOURCHE PARISH

Tax rates are expressed as a millage, based on the Latin word “thousandth,” each millage listed represents the total tax levied per $1,000 of taxable assessed value.

MARKET TRENDS

To ensure fair property assessments, the Assessor’s office continuously maintains a record of existing and new residential and commercial structures throughout Lafourche Parish.

EXISTING STRUCTURES REVENUE

4,574

$1,289,158.58

2,909

$6,233,861.06

34,107 $31,949,865.94

YOUR 2022 TAX DOLLARS AT WORK

The Lafourche Parish Assessor has the responsibility of discovery, listing, and valuation of all property within the parish boundaries. All taxable property valued by the Assessor is then taxed ad valorem, or “according to value” by each of the various taxing districts listed. Each taxing district levies these rates during public meetings held every year.

2022 PROPERTY TAXES IN LAFOURCHE PARISH

Tax rates are expressed as a millage, based on the Latin word “thousandth,” each millage listed represents the total tax levied per $1,000 of taxable assessed value.

MARKET TRENDS

To ensure fair property assessments, the Assessor’s office continuously maintains a record of existing and new residential and commercial structures throughout Lafourche Parish.

EXISTING STRUCTURES REVENUE

4,336

$1,544,699

2,840

$8,725,316

34,223 $41,995,802

SPECIAL LEVELS

The state of Louisiana allows eligible taxpayers to apply for special assessment levels for their homesteads. If a homeowner remains eligible, the special assessment will "freeze" the taxpayer's primary residence at its current assessed value.

Below is an overview of available special assessment levels and the requirements for each. Those who are qualified to apply may do so by bringing the required documents to the Assessor’s office during regular business hours.

AGE 65+ FREEZE.

At least one owner of the home must be 65 or older, and owner must reside in home.

• Adjusted Gross Income, combined for all owners, cannot exceed $100,000.00 per 2021.

Required Documents: Driver’s License or Birth Certificate, Federal Tax Return

DISABILITY FREEZE.

At least one owner of the home must have ]a service-connected disability with a 100% disability rating, and owner must reside in home.

• Adjusted Gross Income, combined for all owners, cannot exceed $100,000.00 per 2021.

Required Documents: Disability Awards Letter, Driver’s License or Birth Certificate, Federal Tax Return

POW/MIA FREEZE.

Owner of the home must be a member of the Armed Forces who were Missing in Action (MIA) or were a Prisoner of War (POW) for a period exceeding 90 days.

Required Documents: Please call our office for requirements.

DISABLED VETERANS FREEZE.

At least one owner of the home must be a veteran with a 50% or higher service-connected disability rating, or the surviving spouse of a veteran with a 50% or higher service-connected disability rating, and owner must reside in home.

Required Documents: Disability Awards Letter, Driver’s License or Birth Certificate

DISABLED VETERANS ADDITIONAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.

Owner of the home must reside in the home and be a veteran or the surviving spouse of a veteran, identified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs with a service-connected disability rating as stated below shall be eligible for an increase in homestead exemption.

The homestead exemption would increase from $75,000 as follows:

• Service-connected disability rating of 50% - 70% shall be eligible for an additional exemption in the amount of $25,000

• Service-connected disability rating of 70% - 99% shall be eligible for an additional exemption in the amount of $45,000

• Service-connected disability rating of 100% shall be eligible for an additional exemption in the FULL AMOUNT of fair market value of the home

Required Documents: Disability Awards Letter, Driver’s License or Birth Certificate

MILITARY & EMERGENCY RESPONDER UNMARRIED SURVIVING SPOUSE EXEMPTION. The surviving spouse, who remains unmarried, of an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States, Louisiana National Guard, or while performing their duties as a state police officer, or a law enforcement or fire protection officer is entitled to an exemption from ad valorem tax for the total assessed value of their homestead.

Required Documents: Please call our office for requirements.

AD VALOREM ASSESSED VALUES

All ad valorem taxes are levied based on the determined value of the item being taxed. The Lafourche Parish Assessor’s Office has categorized Ad Valorem Values into the following categories along with historical taxable assessed value.

BUSINESS

2022 AD VALOREM ASSESSED VALUES

$894,618,476.00

LAFOURCHE PARISH ASSESSOR’S TEAM

REAL ESTATE

• Lauren Bourgeois*

• Yvette Bruce

• Nicol Dufrene

• Randi Robert

• Rachel Terrebonne

• Stacey Weimer

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

• Kaitlynn Edwards*

PERSONAL PROPERTY

• Michael Delaune

• Ryan Friedlander*

• Felicia Lee

WATERCRAFT

• Tori Berger

MILLAGE RESOLUTIONS

• Shirley Verdin

OIL AND GAS

• Rosalind Benoit*

• Jessica Swift*

ADMINISTRATION

• Britni Bouzigard*

• Riechelle Roy

*These employees have met the requirements to receive accreditation from the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) as Certified Louisiana Deputy Assessors.