Suit filed for ruling in tax settlement costs

A suit has been filed in Fifth Judicial District Court here by the clerk of court naming the assessor and asking a ruling concerning payment of around $48,000 in court costs accrued a few years ago when a pipeline company had to pay taxes in West Carroll for storing gas underground.
There was lengthy ligigation in the suit.
Asked about the filing by The Gazette, Clerk of Court Robyn Creech said those in the case include attorneys for the Assessor Deanna Smith in her capacity as assessor, attorneys for the Louisiana Tax Commission and CT Corporation, Southern Natural Gas,Tennessee Gas Company and ANR through CT Corporation.
She said the costs of court accrued go back to years before she was elected clerk of court. “It should have been paid back then when the suit was settled,” she contends.
She said the case against the pipeline companies through which the costs were made was appealed and went to the supreme court. “I am doing this in official capacity as clerk of court,” she states. She also said that August of 2010 was when the big costs occurred. “The reason it is so much is that 23,605 pages of exhibits were filed,” she states.
Assessor Deanna Smith said her attorney had stated that the fees were exempt. “Being a public body, he says we are not liable on having to pay.”
Asked where the money would come from to pay the costs if ordered by the court to pay, she said it would come from public bodies that get millage money. These include the school board, sheriff, assessor, police jury, library and health unit. “This would come out of those funds,” she states.
See Suit, Page 12
“I would have to pro-rate it by millage,” she points out. “The court ruling at the time instructed the sheriff to fund the taxing bodies.”
She said most other parishes involved in the lawsuit with ANR did not pay costs of court on filings. “I don’t know if it will be grandfathered or not.”“I would have to prorate
it by millage,” she points out. “The court ruling at the time instructed the sheriff to fund the taxing bodies.”
She said most other parishes involved in the lawsuit with ANR did not pay costs of court on filings.
“I don’t know if it will be grandfathered or not.
For more news from West Carroll Parish, go to www.westcarrollgazette.com.