“You can pay me now or you can pay me later” was an advertising line becoming part of the national lexicon when those drafting the current state constitution wrestled with property tax issues.

They opted for pay me later. That and how enabling legislation was written have led to many laments such as were heard at the Alexandria City Council meeting this week.

Should assessors reassess all property every year, allowing tax collections to reflect current circumstances, or should it be done on a quadrennial basis, with provisions to allow governments to catch up through millages in place?

CC73 delegates and voters decided the latter made more sense. Assessors agreed.

The council Tuesday voted to roll forward, taking millage in force back to the previously approved level.

(Google reveals no instances of agencies rolling back.) The consequence of Tuesday’s vote is the city gains about $400,000 in tax revenue, bringing the estimated total to $11.5 million.

The alternate, reassessment every year, would have brought about $100,000 annually in new revenue over the four years, assuming average year-to-year growth.

The tax rate after rolling up is the same. The yield is what changes.

Incidentally, Alexandria is apparently the only parish entity that abides by state law requiring notice of the roll back-roll up hearing to include a statement of total revenue expected and how much of that is attributable to rolling up.