Jindal, JP Delegation Approve Capella’s Money Grab

Jefferson Parish Assessor Tom Capella’s proposal to increase his budget by 58% at the expense of Jefferson Parish Schools and other government agencies, was signed into law by Governor Jindal. The entire Jefferson Parish legislative delegation except for Representative Pat Connick, who voted “NO”, and Representatives Cameron Henry and Tom Willmott, who were “Absent”, voted to approve Capella’s money grab.

The bill will increase Capella’s budget from $2.73 Million to $4.32 Million with about $500,000 of the increase coming from the Jefferson Parish Public School System.

Capella maintains that he needs a larger budget to add staff to handle the 2012 property reassessment. Every four years, each property in Jefferson Parish is reassessed. Capella has not said why the budget increase should continue in the 3 years after the property reassessment or why the bill says that the increase will be used for for "clerical and other expenses."

State Senator John Alario sponsored Senate Bill 140 and State Representative Robert Billiot handled the bill on the House side.

The increase in the Assessor’s budget will continue until the Legislature changes it.

Capella was elected in 2011 after longtime Assessor Lawrence Chehardy announced his retirement.