Dozens of property owners representing 95 properties in Lafayette Parish, most of them commercial owners and what appears to be landlords, will be lined up Tuesday to contest their assessments. In fact, property-tax challenges are the only item on the council’s agenda save for a pair of Planning Commission appeals — no ordinances, either introductory or facing a final vote, are on the agenda — but it will be long meeting nonetheless.
Some of the commercial property owners have lawyered up, notably Prog Leasing and Aaron’s Inc., both out-of-state companies headquartered in suburban Atlanta, Ga. that will be represented by a fellow Georgia tax firm, Cushman & Wakefield.
Aaron’s, a rent-to-own store with two locations in Lafayette, is seeking the biggest tax relief. The Lafayette Parish Assessor’s office assessed the company’s property in the parish at $1.7 million; Aaron’s is seeking to pay $96,168, which would represent a $1.6 million reduction.
Prog Leasing, on the other hand, is seeking the largest reduction in terms of percentage: Its assessed liability on five properties in the parish was set at $331,7000. It’s seeking a 100 percent reduction — as in no tax bill whatsoever — in its appeal.
To see the full list of property-tax appeals with links to supporting documentation, click here.