The collapse of St. Tammany Parish’s criminal justice tax proposal earlier this year exposed a much deeper problem: the Cooper administration’s handling of parish finances. What should have been a clear explanation of how much money the parish collects and where it goes turned into a trail of conflicting numbers, confusing statements, and shifting justifications. That confusion didn’t come from residents — it came from parish leadership itself. And that is what pushed local business leaders to start investigating how our tax dollars are actually being spent.

 

We deserve disclosure. When the parish asks voters to consider a major tax change, the information we’re given should be accurate and consistent. Instead, the administration promoted revenue figures for the existing sales tax that did not match what appears in the parish’s own financial records. The public was told the tax brought in far more than the parish actually retains after required distributions. That kind of exaggeration doesn’t just cause a failed proposal — it destroys trust.

 

We, the citizens of this parish, should not have to rely on outside business groups to uncover basic truths about our own government’s finances. Yet that is exactly what happened. The Chamber PAC launched its review because they could no longer rely on the administration’s explanations. Their early findings point to serious problems, including questionable contract spending and infrastructure funds being diverted to internal overhead instead of going toward real projects. The inconsistencies were so significant that they hired a forensic specialist to examine parish records.

 

Instead of addressing these concerns openly, Parish President Mike Cooper has denied the issues and attacked those raising them. That type of response should concern every resident. A transparent administration answers questions. A defensive one avoids them.

 

Now we are told to expect cuts to the courts, the jail, and the district attorney’s office in the upcoming budget. Before any cuts are made, we deserve to know whether these reductions are truly necessary or if poor financial management inside the administration created the problem in the first place.

 

We the citizens have a right to clarity. We have a right to know how our money is being spent. And we have a right to demand honest accounting from the person elected to manage this parish.

 

This investigation wasn’t started because anyone wanted a political fight. It happened because the Cooper administration failed to give residents the transparency we are entitled to. Until full disclosure is provided, the trust of this community will remain broken.