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S T TA M M A N Y FA R M E R.N E T
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W e d n e s d ay, M ay 6, 2026
152ND YEAR, NO. 30
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Parish looks at vote on new sales tax
.3% tax would cover gaps in criminal justice funding BY WILLIE SWETT
parish’s general fund. The sales tax plan was selected over two other options discussed at the meeting: a property tax and a new franchise fee — which the parish can charge to private utilities like Cleco for its use of public streets, sidewalks, alleys. The decision to move forward with a sales tax came after three hours of presentations, remarks by council members and law enforcement officials, and comments
Staff writer
St. Tammany Parish voters will likely be asked to approve a sales tax this fall to pay for big parts of the criminal justice system. The Parish Council voted unanimously on April 30 to move forward with a plan to ask voters across the parish to approve a .3% sales tax that officials say would fill a looming $22 million gap in the
from residents. The council vote isn’t final and only indicated a preference to continue reviewing the sales tax plan ahead of voting for a ballot measure that would be needed to enact it. If the council wants to put the tax on the November ballot, it will need to vote to do so by June, according to council administrator Mary Burckell. Many details about the tax have yet to be worked out, including
whether the funds it generates, expected to be roughly $22 million, would be dedicated specifically to criminal justice or would go to the parish’s general fund, which can be used for anything. Council member Joe Impastato, who introduced the motion to move forward with the sales tax, said it must “include an offset that would be tax-neutral or better” from other taxing bodies in the parish. As an example of reductions they’ve secured, officials have pointed to Mosquito Abatement
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School Board’s Harrell apologizes for cursing over union contract vote
BY WILLIE SWETT
Staff writer
St. Tammany Parish School Board member Brandon Harrell apologized on April 28 for a “hot mic” moment when he used an expletive last month following a vote over a union contract. Harrell, who represents District 5 covering Abita Springs and nearby areas, said the language he used in response to the contract extension was inappropriate and that he took responsibility for his words, which he said weren’t directed at school employees. “I should not have allowed my emotions to get the best of me and make the comment that I made,” Harrell said. The apology came as school board members were poised to vote on whether to formally admonish him for his Harrell comments. But following the apology, School Board President Amanda R. Martin decided against bringing the question to a vote during the special meeting on April 28 in Covington. During the April 16 school board meeting, the school board had been considering whether to approve a one-year extension of a labor union agreement with the St. Tammany Federation of Teachers and School Employees. School Superintendent Frank Jabbia and Brant Osborn, the head of the federation, told the board that although some of the details of the contract were still being worked out, the board needed to approve the one-year extension to keep the contract from expiring altogether. Harrell argued the one-year extension should have been brought to the board’s attention earlier. He ultimately joined the rest of the school board to unanimously approve the extension, but after the crowd erupted in applause, Harrell could be heard saying “go f- — yourselves,” according to a recording of the incident obtained by the Times-Picayune. Martin said that had she known Harrell was going to apologize, the April 28 special meeting wouldn’t have been necessary. Still, she encouraged members of the public to share their thoughts about Harrell’s comments. More than a dozen people spoke, including teachers and union representatives, with many saying Harrell’s language was disrespectful.
ä See HARRELL, page 3A
AIR PHOTO BY HERB GOMEZ
Andrew Doyle, of New Line Skate Parks, does a front board slide at the Pelican Park facility he helped design.
New Pelican Park skate park brings big thrills BY ANDREW CANULETTE
Staff writer
Recreation District No. 1 and Pelican Park officially opened an expanded skate park to the public on May 2. Designed for skaters of all abilities,
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the space is highlighted by various rails, bowls, dips and rises to provide a top-notch skating experience. Pelican Park’s former 10,000-square-foot skate park proved so popular that park
ä See PARK, page 2A
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Johnson says goal includes multi-use site
BY DARREN COOPER Contributing writer
Seeking to possibly build a senior center and multipurpose events center, Covington Mayor Mark Johnson is leading a group of residents interested in resurrecting, and financing, St. Tammany Parish Recreation District No. 10. Though Covington has a traditional municipal recreation department that largely oversees youth sports and recreation activities in the city, a recreation district creates a distinct tax base with funds allocated for maintaining and operating parks, playgrounds and community centers. It also reaches beyond a municipality’s borders. As it is drawn currently, Parish Recreation District 10 includes the city of Coving- Johnson ton but also incorporates areas around state highways 1078, 437, 1081, 21 and 36. The idea is to consolidate a tax base, one that would provide services and facilities to people who live in much broader area of the parish. “The first step is reconstituting the (recreation district) board and then the board will be tasked with what we are trying to accomplish,” Johnson said. “Once you have done that and gone through the site-selection process then you ask the city to draw up plans for the concept to find out the cost. Then you go to the assessor and divide that between the millage of Recreation District 10 to come up with a price tag.” When asked what that final price tag would be, Johnson said it’s too early to tell. “I don’t want to start meeting with people and throw out a number,” Johnson said. “As a builder, I know it’s always better to come back with numbers after you’ve done the research.” Various communities on the northshore have different concepts for funding parks and recreational activities. Covington and Slidell are the only two cities in the parish without active recreational districts. “I always say that Covington has the best recreation department on the west side of the parish,” Johnson
ä See COVINGTON, page 3A
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ä See SALES TAX, page 3A
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District’s plan to ask voters to approve a 2.95-mil tax in June, which they say is $4 million less than the 4.2-mills voters approved in 2016, though the district has collected less than that recently: 2.27 mills in 2026 and 3.1 mills in 2025. But officials have not offered any details about what other commitments to reduce taxes they have from other taxing bodies, such as recreation districts or St. Tammany’s fire departments, which a recent report found received more
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