MANDEVILLE, LA (WGNO) — The Saint Tammany Parish Council approved a modest tax increase, and it was the unplanned comments from one woman that may have secured the nearly unanimous vote.
The increase will raise about $1 million a year. For people who live inside of municipalities, the increase will cost them an additional $2 a year for every $100k of assessed property value minus homestead exemption. For people in unincorporated areas of the parish, it’s $2.70 a year.
The money is expected to be used for the district attorney’s office and jail. Saint Tammany Animal Services will also get some, and it was one of that group’s employees who may have secured the increase.
Emily Hirtle is the Deputy Director of the Department of Animal Services which runs the parish animal shelter. Over the past two years, the shelter has worked to become a no-kill facility. Hirtle attended the meeting to represent the department and told the council, once called upon, that she had no idea she would be speaking and didn’t prepare any comments.
Hirtle went on to make a series of emotional statements that appeared to win over some council members who were on the fence regarding their vote on the proposed increase.
Hirtle told the council that in the past 90 days, the shelter has taken in nearly 1,200 animals. Some are injured, an many need veterinary care. The animals also must be fed, and the shelter keeps a food bank for people who may need assistance feeding their own animals.
“I can’t tell you how badly this money is needed,” Hirtle told the council at the beginning of her comments. “It’s almost like a war zone,” she added.
“We aren’t taking our lunches, we’re eating standing up. We are doing the best that we can, but they are coming in sicker than ever.”
Hirtle also said that the shelter is getting more owner surrenders because people can’t afford veterinary care or to feed their pets.
“We want to save them, but I feel like it’s not going to be possible if we don’t get this increase.”
Earlier in the meeting, council members discussed whether the money would be used for pay raises for employees, signaling that could sway them to vote against the tax increase.
“And I just want to point out that none of us are asking for a raise. We’re happy to take the Starbucks pay, or less, the Chick fil-A pay. We’ll do that night or day if it means that we can save them,” Hirtle implored at the end of her comments.
Moments later, the council voted to approve the tax increase by at 13-1 vote.
“She should have been our only speaker. We could have voted on this, and we could go,” Councilman David Fitzgerald joked after Hirtle walked away from the podium.
