By the numbers: July sales tax collections in the city-parish rose 8.5% to nearly $15.3 million, up from roughly $14.1 million during the same month last year, according to the city-parish Finance Department. Inside the city limits, collections were up 8.9% to $8.4 million while collections in the unincorporated parts of the parish rose 8% to $6.8 million. Year to date, collections in the city-parish are at $113.7 million through July, an 8.2% increase over last year. See the full report.
Sold!: Louisiana netted $140,105 from the September sale of mineral leases, which was held in Baton Rouge last week. Five leases were sold, covering 2,845 acres in Acadia, Desoto, Jefferson, Pointe Coupee, Terrebonne and Union parishes. The board has collected $2 million so far from mineral leases payments in the current fiscal year, which is up from $1.9 million through September of the previous fiscal year.
At a limit: CVS Health is limiting opioid prescriptions in an effort to combat a growing epidemic that accounted for 64,000 overdose deaths last year, USA Today reports. The drug store chain announced this morning that it will limit opioid prescriptions to seven-day supplies for new patients facing acute ailments. It also will instruct pharmacists to contact doctors when they encounter prescriptions that appear to offer more medication than would be deemed necessary for a patient’s recovery. CVS’s prescription drug management division, CVS Caremark, provides medications to nearly 90 million people. Read more.
