Tax commission recommends new plan for equitable distribution of rail taxes

(The Center Square) − The Commission on the Equitable Distribution of Ad Valorem Taxes held its final meeting on Thursday, proposing a new plan for distributing tax revenue from rolling stock assessments. Starting in tax year 2026, the Louisiana Tax Commission will use data from the Department of Transportation and Development on active rail lines to determine each parish’s percentage of the state’s total rail. This percentage will then be applied to the annual rolling stock assessment, with the resulting value sent to local assessors. Each parish assessor will issue tax statements based on their local millage rates, to be collected by the parish. To ease the transition, the plan includes a three-year phase-in: in 2026, parishes will collect one-third of their allocated share, with two-thirds defaulting to East Baton Rouge; in 2027, parishes will collect two-thirds, with EBR receiving one-third; and by 2028, parishes will collect 100% of their share. This gradual approach aims to avoid disrupting existing budgets, with no changes affecting the current fiscal year. The Louisiana Tax Commission confirmed the plan is feasible, though it may require minor software updates costing thousands of dollars, which they believe can be managed within their budget. The recommendation now heads to the legislative process for approval.