Lafourche Parish, City of Thibodaux tax bills are in the mail

Over 50,000 Lafourche Parish and 6,000 Thibodaux property owners are about to receive a post-Thanksgiving notice courtesy of the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office and the City of Thibodaux.

Property tax notices are expected to go in the mail by week’s end, according to Assessor Mike Martin and the City of Thibodaux’s Tax & License Department.

Lafourche Parish’s initial mailing will include the 30,645 people who owe the parish money. Property owners that do not have to pay taxes under the state’s homestead exemption ruling will be notified later, officials said.

In Lafourche Parish, about 20,000 homeowners are exempt.

Under Louisiana law, homes that are assessed at 10 percent of their value; the first $75,000 is exempt from parish property taxes if the owner resides in the home. Property owners who are exempt will still receive notices listing the property taxes applicable to the area, but show that no payment is due, according to Martin.

The LPSO is the parish’s official tax collection agency and is responsible for issuing the notices. LPSO spokesman Larry Weidel said in a news release that all the tax notices will be sent by the end of November.

Property taxes must be paid by Dec. 31, Deputy Tax Collector Annette Every said. “After that, there is a 1 percent per month late fee.”

The 2006 tax roll is expected to exceed $56.7 million, a significant increase over the $52.4 million collected the year before in Lafourche Parish.

Thibodaux officials reported mailing 6,098 property tax notices last Wednesday. Payments are also due by Dec. 31

Every said homeowners should check with their mortgage companies to confirm property taxes are paid with their monthly note.

If a parcel of land was sold during the year, Every said the owner of record at the outset of 2006 will receive the notice. “Sometimes the tax is prorated but it is the responsibility of the property owner to see that all taxes due on a property are paid,” she said.

Property taxes may be paid the LPSO’s Thibodaux or South Lafourche offices, which are open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Both offices will be open Dec. 29 until 5 p.m. to collect property taxes.

Taxes can also be paid at one of six local banks: Capital One, First American, Coastal, Whitney, South Lafourche, State Bank, Regions Bank and Community Bank.

The LPSO Web site is also set up to receive property tax payments.

In Thibodaux, taxes can be paid via mail at: City of Thibodaux, Tax & License Department, P.O. Box 5418, Thibodaux, LA 70302. To pay in person, visit City Hall at 310 W. 2nd St. in Thibodaux. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Tax & License Service Window is located in Room 104. Payments can also be made at the utility drive-up window; the bill must be included. And payments can be dropped in the night deposit box in front of City Hall.

Because of the large number of payments being made this time of year, city officials are encouraging residents to make payments by mail. Separate checks for property taxes and utility payments are required.

Direct all questions to the Tax & License Department at (985) 446-7221.