『Justin Centanni – Lafayette Parish Tax Assessor』のカバーアート

Justin Centanni – Lafayette Parish Tax Assessor

Justin Centanni – Lafayette Parish Tax Assessor

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Lafayette Parish Tax Assessor Justin Centanni joins Discover Lafayette to explain the duties of his office, how property values are determined, and what property owners need to know about the upcoming 15-day assessment review period. Justin is Lafayette Parish’s 26th Tax Assessor, but his professional path to the office was anything but traditional. With a background in technology and data management, he previously worked in Washington, D.C., for the Department of Defense, helping develop software behind the military’s smart identification cards. He later worked at IberiaBank, where he managed a team responsible for backend data integration, including platforms used to detect fraud and illicit banking activity in real time. Before becoming assessor, Justin served nine years as the District 6 representative on the Lafayette Parish School Board. Justin says public service was never something he envisioned for himself. He moved to Lafayette at 18 to attend USL and ultimately found that serving the community gave him an unexpected sense of purpose. “What I learned about myself and public service is that I do take a tremendous amount of personal satisfaction from helping solve problems, helping make decisions. I care a tremendous amount about Lafayette.” What Does the Tax Assessor Actually Do? One of the biggest misconceptions about the assessor’s office is that it collects property taxes. It does not. The assessor’s responsibility is to identify and value all property in Lafayette Parish. That seemingly simple mission involves an enormous amount of information. The office begins each year with the previous year’s tax roll and continually updates it with information from municipalities, the Clerk of Court and other sources. Building permits reveal new construction and renovations. Conveyance records identify properties that have been sold or transferred. Appraisers visit properties where construction has been completed and determine when values need to be updated. And Lafayette gives them plenty to keep up with. Justin says approximately 15,000 properties transfer each year, including residential and commercial property, and more than 1,000 new buildings were constructed in the parish during the past year. Lafayette Parish currently has an approximately $3.3 billion assessed-value tax roll, representing a little more than $30 billion in market value. As Justin put it, those numbers tell an encouraging story about Lafayette’s economy. He jokingly offered one particularly visible example: “We’re building an $80 million gas station at Louisiana Avenue,” referring, of course, to Buc-ee’s. How Your Property Value Is Determined For homeowners who have not substantially changed their property, assessments generally move according to what comparable homes in the neighborhood are selling for. The assessor’s office examines neighborhood sales and establishes a price per square foot. Larger homes will therefore have a higher value than smaller homes, but comparable properties within the neighborhood are valued using a consistent methodology. Parishwide reassessments occur every four years. The last reassessment was in 2024, and the next will take place in 2028. Of course, Justin understands the eternal property owner’s dilemma: everybody wants a high appraisal when they are selling or refinancing their home and a low valuation when the property tax bill arrives. “Don’t we all,” he laughed. “I’m no different.” August 17 Through 31, 2026: Assessment Review Period An important focus of our conversation was Lafayette Parish’s 2026 Assessment Review Period, August 17 through August 31. Property owners whose assessments increased by 15 percent or more should have received notice from the assessor’s office. But the review period is also an important opportunity for anyone who believes the assessor’s office has incorrect information about their property. Justin explained that the most common type of error might be something as straightforward as incorrect square footage. If the assessor’s records show a 6,000-square-foot home when the home is actually 4,000 square feet, that error can significantly affect the tax bill. “If we have the square footage of your house incorrect…you should come in and you should tell us,” Justin said. The assessor’s office can measure the property, correct its records and adjust the valuation accordingly. This first step is important. A taxpayer who wants to challenge an assessment must first meet with the assessor’s office. The taxpayer and assessor attempt to reach agreement on the property’s proper assessed value. Evidence matters, and simply disagreeing with the valuation does not guarantee that it will be changed. If an agreement cannot be reached, the taxpayer can proceed to the next level of appeal before the Lafayette Parish Council, sitting as the Board of Review. But to preserve that right, Justin explained that the taxpayer ...
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