New data from the Natchitoches Tax Commission (NTC) reveals that while most local entities are seeing steady growth in sales tax collections, a recent reporting anomaly has temporarily skewed the figures for the Natchitoches Parish Government.
The February year-to-date report shows consistent gains for the following:
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City of Natchitoches: Collections rose 1.79% over the same period last year.
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Natchitoches Parish School Board: Collections saw a 1.53% increase.
Understanding the Reporting Anomaly
While the Parish of Natchitoches showed a year-to-date decrease of 20.43%, officials emphasize that this figure does not reflect a sudden economic downturn. Instead, the gap is attributed to the implementation of new e-file systems.
The NTC reported that the transition to these digital filing changes prevented many taxpayers from submitting their documentation on time. Because these payments were not processed by the reporting deadline, they were not included in the February totals, creating a temporary statistical dip.
Commission officials stated they are optimistic that the March collection report will provide a clearer, more balanced picture as filers successfully navigate the new e-file requirements and outstanding payments are reconciled.
Note: During the April 20, 2026, meeting of the Natchitoches Parish Government Council, it was reported that sales tax revenue had decreased by 20%. Following multiple inquiries, the Natchitoches Parish Journal obtained clarification from the Natchitoches Tax Commission regarding these figures.
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