Turk File

Airport sales tax collection starts in April

by Leslie Turk

Airport commission reminds local businesses of start and end date on recently approved tax.

In response to what it says are questions being raised to local accounting firms that have in turn placed calls to Lafayette Airport Commission Chairman Matt Cruse, Lafayette Regional Airport is reminding Lafayette Parish businesses that the collection of the 1-cent sales tax for the new airport terminal will not start until April.
“The Lafayette Parish Council will certify the election results and call for the collection of the sales tax at its January 20 meeting,” Cruse said in a prepared statement. “The tax collection begins April 1 and ends eight months later on Nov. 30. After the council action, the Lafayette Parish Public School System’s Sales Tax Division will notify registered dealers who have an account, by mail, in February, March and again in April. The school system’s tax division collects all parish sales tax revenues and then forwards them to the appropriate governmental agency.”

In December, nearly 60 percent of Lafayette Parish voters approved the 1-cent sales tax to pay for improvements at the airport.

The tax will be collected on goods and services except food and prescription drugs. The revenue, expected to be in the range of $35 million to $37 million, will be added to bond proceeds and airport grants to reach the $90 million needed for the project.

In addition to expanding the terminal from three gates to five, with room and accommodations to later add two more gates, the project calls for more parking and a larger lobby inside the terminal.