December 'Keep St. Tammany Safe' sales tax proposition
St. Tammany Parish
Summary
The council called a December 12, 2026 special election on a five-year, quarter-cent sales tax for the criminal justice system, avoiding a crowded November ballot. Critics like Carl Ernst say ten years is too long and want hard numbers first; supporters say due diligence can continue before the vote.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 4
- Last 30 days
- 1
Discussed at 2 meetings in the last 60 days; most recently Nov 5, 2026.
Impact analysis
A quarter-cent sales tax for five years, starting April 1, 2027 — costs shoppers a quarter per $100 spent.
Residents who want a funded criminal justice system and a cleaner ballot for the proposition.
Shoppers pay more at the register if it passes; skeptics worry funds could outlast demonstrated need.
Mentions & discussions (4)
Parish Council Meeting — November 5, 2026
Council members, the sheriff and the judges all tied the budget crisis to the December sales tax vote that would restore funding for the DA, courts, jail and public safety agencies. Without it, they warn of deep cuts across the criminal justice system.
Parish Council Meeting — October 1, 2026
President Mike Cooper called the 2027 budget the most challenging of his administration, with more than $66 million in sales-tax-funded infrastructure but a general fund that can't fully cover criminal justice obligations. The Keep Saint Tammany Safe sales tax goes to the December ballot, and public budget hearings run through late October.
Parish Council Meeting — August 6, 2026
Parish government faces a 60% cut to justice funding in 2027 because one-time dollars are gone and only ~$8 million of property taxes are undedicated. The quarter-cent sales tax on the December 12 ballot would raise about $18 million a year for the DA, courts, jail, coroner and DNA lab, costing the average household roughly $60 a year while property taxes are being lowered elsewhere.
Parish Council Meeting — June 4, 2026
The council called a December 12, 2026 special election on a five-year, quarter-cent sales tax for the criminal justice system, avoiding a crowded November ballot. Critics like Carl Ernst say ten years is too long and want hard numbers first; supporters say due diligence can continue before the vote.
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