Rosalind Peychaud, et. al v. Erroll Williams, et al.
During the 2020聽property聽assessment cycle, the Orleans Parish assessor arbitrarily cut the value of聽large聽commercial properties聽鈥撀爏ome聽by as much as 57%聽鈥撀燾iting the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason.聽As a result, he flouted his legal duty to assess properties at their fair market value.聽Despite slashing assessments for these聽property聽owners by a total of $317 million, virtually no residential properties saw reductions, nor did many small businesses聽also hurt by the pandemic.聽The 人兽性交 and co-counsel filed a lawsuit in state court聽arguing that the assessor violated state statute and the聽Louisiana聽and U.S. constitutions.聽
The lawsuit describes how the commercial properties that benefited from Orleans Parish Assessor Errol Williams鈥� actions were mostly out-of-state owners of large national hotels and other commercial properties. In many cases,聽reassessments for residential properties rose.聽聽
The drastic decrease in the assessments of commercial property resulted in Orleans Parish property owners owing at least 7% more in taxes.聽Typically, the city of New Orleans聽would provide relief through an automatic聽reduction in the millage rate, but the drastic decrease in聽assessed commercial property value聽prevented the city from implementing聽a reduction as large as property owners would expect聽when a reduction is triggered.聽
The plaintiffs include parish residents Rosalind Peychaud and Neal Morris.聽Defendants include聽Williams,聽the Louisiana Tax聽Commission聽and the Orleans Parish Bureau of Treasury.聽The lawsuit was filed in the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans.聽
