07 Jul What Causes Adjustments to Millage Rates?

Changes in millage rates occur under four circumstances:

1. If the voters approve a millage increase.
2. If the legislature approves the creation of a special district and grants authority to levy a millage.
3. If the Board of Liquidation/City Debt adjusts the millage rate needed to collect the amount required to service its general obligation bonds. When new bonds are issued this millage increases and as older bonds mature this millage rate decreases.
4. Every four years the Assessors must reassess the real property. State law provides that the tax collected in the year following a reassessment is adjusted so that it is equal to the tax collected the previous year on the same property tax base. The amount of millage is then adjusted up or down to satisfy this requirement. If the millage is lowered because of an increase in property values, it may be “rolled up” to the prior year’s millage after a public hearing and approval by a 2/3 vote of the taxing authority. The Assessors must reassess personal property every year and the Louisiana Tax Commission reappraises public service property every year.