St. Tammany Parish faces yet another financial hurdle, and now residents are invited into the conversation.On Wednesday, Councilman David Cougle is hosting a meeting on behalf of the parish’s coroner’s office.”We have a coroner’s office that we have an obligation to, and we’ll have more obligations too,” Cougle said.The coroner’s office offers a variety of services, such as mental health support and DNA testing. The coroner’s office said it gets results and closes cases faster than the state office.”If it takes a year versus months, that’s a big difference in your prosecution, you’re letting suspects get away, and they could be committing other crimes in the meantime,” St. Tammany Parish Coroner Christopher Tape said. “So, it’s important that people know that the DNA lab here exists.”However, all of this could disappear because of a millage which expired in 2024.Leaving the coroner operating on its 20-year savings, which could soon run out.”We’re already struggling to figure out how to pay for the DA’s office, the courts, and the parish jail,” Cougle said about the St. Tammany government.Those agencies are in jeopardy of taking significant funding cuts next year if Parish officials do not find more money for the general fund.So if a millage is not renewed for the coroner’s office, Cougle explained the ramifications. “If he runs out of money or whoever is in that office runs out of money, or they don’t have another funding source, that’s something else that will be taken out of the general fund,” Cougle said. “So, it’s a problem quickly approaching that’s making another problem of ours worse.”One resident told WDSU that he doesn’t mind paying taxes, but an additional one right now is not really in his budget. “I’m already poor, the gas prices are like $3. I can barely afford that half the time,” Jayce Ortiz said.”I would ask the public to come and express your views, and just remember, we have an obligation to pay for the coroner’s office and public safety,” Cougle said. Wednesday’s meeting is at 7 p.m. at the Levee building, 61134 N. Military Road.
St. Tammany Parish faces yet another financial hurdle, and now residents are invited into the conversation.
On Wednesday, Councilman David Cougle is hosting a meeting on behalf of the parish’s coroner’s office.
“We have a coroner’s office that we have an obligation to, and we’ll have more obligations too,” Cougle said.
The coroner’s office offers a variety of services, such as mental health support and DNA testing. The coroner’s office said it gets results and closes cases faster than the state office.
“If it takes a year versus months, that’s a big difference in your prosecution, you’re letting suspects get away, and they could be committing other crimes in the meantime,” St. Tammany Parish Coroner Christopher Tape said. “So, it’s important that people know that the DNA lab here exists.”
However, all of this could disappear because of a millage which expired in 2024.
Leaving the coroner operating on its 20-year savings, which could soon run out.
“We’re already struggling to figure out how to pay for the DA’s office, the courts, and the parish jail,” Cougle said about the St. Tammany government.
Those agencies are in jeopardy of taking significant funding cuts next year if Parish officials do not find more money for the general fund.
So if a millage is not renewed for the coroner’s office, Cougle explained the ramifications.
“If he runs out of money or whoever is in that office runs out of money, or they don’t have another funding source, that’s something else that will be taken out of the general fund,” Cougle said. “So, it’s a problem quickly approaching that’s making another problem of ours worse.”
One resident told WDSU that he doesn’t mind paying taxes, but an additional one right now is not really in his budget.
“I’m already poor, the gas prices are like $3. I can barely afford that half the time,” Jayce Ortiz said.
“I would ask the public to come and express your views, and just remember, we have an obligation to pay for the coroner’s office and public safety,” Cougle said.
Wednesday’s meeting is at 7 p.m. at the Levee building, 61134 N. Military Road.