Today, BGR published a new PolicyWatch newsletter, focusing on property assessment issues in New Orleans. Last year’s incomplete property reassessment in New Orleans led citizens and policymakers to question the progress made by the Orleans Parish Assessor on assessment system reforms. BGR evaluated that progress last fall in our report Assessing the Assessor and made recommendations for continued improvement. With the public getting its first look at this year’s assessment rolls beginning July 15, this edition of PolicyWatch re-urges BGR’s recommendations on property valuation practices. It also revisits an unusual funding formula that generates large surpluses for the assessor’s office at the expense of other public entities, many of which face pandemic-related budget shortfalls.
All issues of PolicyWatch are available here.