The days of East Baton Rouge Parish property owners paying the price for Brian
Wilson’s unwillingness to actually do his job must end, writes Business Report Executive Editor JR Ball in his latest column.
“Mr. Wilson, why won’t you competently do your job?” Ball asks. “I’m not kidding. What’s the problem?”
As the duly elected tax assessor of this parish, Wilson essentially has one job: Accurately assess the value of taxable property—along with any structures on said land—and turn the information over to Sheriff Sid Gautreaux, who then sends out those dreaded Scrooge-like green and red Christmas cards demanding the annual payment of property taxes, Ball writes.
Wilson doesn’t pass taxes. He doesn’t collect taxes. Basically, Ball writes, he’s the middleman in the property tax equation, tasked simply with determining the value of what we’ve got.
We know Wilson understands the concept of his job, Ball writes. Wilson says this on his own website: “It is my desire as your assessor to properly interpret these laws, to assess all property in this parish fairly and equitably.”
That may be his desire, but the vexing reality is it ain’t happening. Honestly, this guy is the Cleveland Browns of tax assessors.
“Don’t believe me?” Ball says. “Then go to the tax assessor’s website and see for yourself. Just find the geoportal map, start clicking on parcels and brace yourself for hours of head-scratching bewilderment. It’s a particularly good time if you concentrate on where the more affluent among us reside.”
For example, there’s a well-known gentleman living on a Ponderosa-like spread along Highland Road, Ball writes. The total assessed value of the three parcels comprising this obviously more expensive compound is $2.6 million—or $260,000 in assessor speak.
“It matters because Wilson’s failure to execute leads to higher millage rates, which, in turn, leads to higher property tax bill—especially for those of us in homes that are semi-accurately assessed,” Ball writes.
Everyone should be calling the assessor’s office demanding Wilson either get his act together or get out, Ball says.
Read the full column. Send comments to editor@businessreport.com.
