By KEVIN CHIRI

Publisher

LAPLACE -The St. John Sheriff’s Office expects the confusion with their tax bills, and the parish water bills, to be a thing of the past.

The annual property tax bills sent out by the Sheriff’s Office, which is only the collection agency for those bills, have always looked very much like the parish water bills.

Both are 4 inches by 6 inches on thick paper, and Sheriff’s Office Finance Director Jeff Clement said there have always been some complaints about the two bills looking the same.

So this year, Clement is informing the public that there should be no more confusion, and hopefully, no extra excuses about not knowing that you received your bill.

The new tax bills, which are usually sent out around Thanksgiving, will look entirely different this year, now printed on a 6 inch by 11 inch piece of thick paper.

&#8220They are very different looking and we just wanted the public to be aware of it when they came in the mail,” he explained. &#8220This should end the confusion about them looking like water bills.”

Clement said that the old bills had an occasional problem of tearing when they were processed through the post office machines, and the new bills shouldn’t do that.

&#8220The company that gives us our information said that we could go with the bigger bill if we wanted, and we thought it would be easier for the public to recognize,” he added. &#8220We do the actual printing of the bills here in our office.”

Clement also said the print will be slightly bigger on the new bills.

The Sheriff’s Office finance head wanted to remind the public that it is not his office which has anything to do with how much your bill is for.

&#8220We always get some people calling us because they don’t agree with their property tax bills,” he said. &#8220But we have nothing to do with that. The parish assessor sets the rate for your property taxes, and we only collect them.”

Clement said the former bills had been that way for &#8220at least 10 years” and always brought a few complaints about the similarity to the water bills.

&#8220This should end that,” he said.

Property tax bills can be paid at the Sheriff’s Office in the Percy Hebert Building on Airline Highway, or at the Edgard Courthouse, or by mailing them in.

Any questions about your property tax amount should be directed to the parish assessor.