Webster Parish property assessments increased by approximately $30 million for 2026, while Assessor Denise Edwards also used Tuesday’s Webster Parish Police Jury meeting to explain five proposed constitutional amendments that could affect property taxes and exemptions.
The parish’s total assessed value stands at $422.2 million, with a taxable value of approximately $359.2 million, according to the 2026 Board of Review Report. The increase includes approximately $11 million in real estate, $14 million in personal property, and $5 million in public service property.
The report lists 29,246 taxpayers in Webster Parish, including 32,012 parcels. Of those, 11,821 are homestead accounts, and 5,879 are fully covered by the homestead exemption.
The increased assessments are expected to produce additional property tax revenue for several parish taxing districts. Taxes payable to the Police Jury are projected to increase by a net $205,272 compared with 2025, while the Webster Parish Library is projected to receive an additional $350,058.
The largest Police Jury increase is projected for Road District A, where collections are expected to rise from $550,608 to $655,246, an increase of $104,638. Collections for the Culture, Recreation, Health and Agriculture tax are projected to increase by $83,017, while the parish tax outside municipalities is expected to increase by $35,824 and the parish tax inside municipalities by $21,035.
Road District B is the exception, with collections projected to decrease by $39,242, from $463,960 in 2025 to $424,718 in 2026. 2026 Board of Review Report
The Police Jury sat as the Board of Review before its regular meeting to consider a protest filed by Trane US Inc. involving assessments No. 135168 and No. 135169.
Edwards said the company requested that certain dies and molds be assessed using a 10-year life rather than the 20-year life typically used by her office. However, she said the company had submitted the property together, leaving the assessor’s office unable to determine which items were dies and molds.
The company was asked to provide justification for the requested change along with figures identifying the property involved.
“They waited until 3:15 on the final day of the appeal deadline and just emailed this protest, which actually shows the amount that we have and the amount that they want as the same amount,” Edwards said.
No representative of Trane US Inc. attended the hearing. The Board of Review report states that the protest did not comply with established filing requirements, but Edwards said the company could still pursue the matter at the state level.
The Police Jury approved the Board of Review report and certified the 2026 assessment roll. Edwards also reported that millages for the various taxing districts have been approved by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office. 2026 Board of Review Report
Later in the meeting, Edwards drew jurors’ attention to five of the 10 proposed constitutional amendments on the upcoming ballot that deal with property taxes — amendments 1, 2, 6, 9, and 10.
Edwards particularly highlighted Amendment 2, which would change requirements governing how taxing authorities preserve their maximum authorized millage rates.
“Number 2, is really good. They’ve tried to do it before, and it failed,” Edwards said.
Under current law, Edwards explained, a taxing authority that collects less than its maximum authorized millage must periodically return to the maximum rate or risk losing the authority to collect it.
“So a lot of districts throughout the state will collect that one year just to keep from losing that maximum,” Edwards said. “And what this does is take away that requirement, so I can keep my millage low all four years and not have to up it that one year.”
Amendment 6 concerns an additional homestead exemption for property owners age 65 and older. Edwards said that, if approved statewide, additional local elections would be necessary before the exemption could take effect locally.
“If it passes, y’all would have to call an election and the cities would have to call an election and it would have to pass both,” Edwards said.
She also cautioned that reducing taxes for one group can affect the amount of revenue available to local governments.
“And, you know, exemptions are great, but somebody’s going to have to make up the money, so you have to think about that as well,” Edwards said. “Every time one person gets exempt, then those over here that are paid and are going to have to pay more; it’s going to have to come from somewhere.”
Edwards said officials have requested an opinion from the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office concerning how the provision would be implemented.
Amendment 9 would increase the income threshold for the special assessment level, commonly referred to as a property tax assessment freeze. Edwards said the current threshold, adjusted annually for cost of living, is approximately $102,700. The amendment would increase the threshold to $150,000.
“This would increase it to 150 just to give a few more seniors that ability to freeze their property value to where it wouldn’t go up on reassessment years,” Edwards said.
Amendment 1 concerns surviving spouses of disabled veterans. Edwards explained that a surviving spouse may currently retain the additional homestead exemption received by the veteran, but only on property the couple owned together.
“This amendment would let them sell that property and go buy a new property and still be eligible for that extra home state exemption,” Edwards said.
Amendment 10 concerns rehabilitated and blighted property. Edwards said local voter approval would also be required before that provision could take effect in Webster Parish.
In another action Tuesday, jurors unanimously extended Webster Parish’s burn ban through November 17 because of continued dry conditions.
Webster Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Director Brian Williams explained that, under a new state law, fire chiefs may request an initial 30-day burn ban, and the police jury president may extend it for another 30 days. Continuing a ban beyond 60 days requires approval by the full police jury.
Williams said fire chiefs may lift the ban at any time if conditions improve. Recent rainfall has remained limited across much of Webster Parish, with Minden receiving less than 2 inches.
Jurors also reappointed April Shaw as chairman of the Evergreen Fire Protection District for a two-year term ending December 31, 2028, and reappointed Emmett Jones for a two-year term ending on the same date.
Yolanda Palmer was reappointed to the Webster Parish Fire Protection District No. 8 board for a two-year term.
The Police Jury also approved invoices pending review by Juror Nancy Hines and adopted minutes from the September 1 Road Committee, Finance Committee, and regular meetings.
Jurors Mike Griffith and Tan Grigsby were absent. All action items were approved unanimously.
The Webster Parish Police Jury meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 10:30 AM at the Webster Parish Courthouse Annex. Meetings are livestreamed at www.websterparishla.org, and the public is encouraged to attend.
