The financial crisis in St. Tammany parish continues to impact several necessary agencies. The coroner’s office is now on the brink of running out of funds, which could bring drastic changes to the office.
“We’re here to help the community and help the families get justice and help to solve the mystery.” St. Tammany Parish coroner, Dr. Christopher Tape said.
In addition to death investigations the coroner’s office offers mental health services, and they have their own DNA lab which includes their own certified the specialist to help run help the facility, but soon all of this could soon be in jeopardy.
“The money is going to run out for death investigation, mental health and everything.” Dr. Tape said, “it runs are completely in 2028 if they don’t do something.”
Currently the coroner’s office is running off of a surplus from a millage that expired in 2024 and voters chose not to renew it. Once that money runs out the parish is then responsible for taking on the cost to fund the coroner’s office which is coming from an already depleted general fund account.
This is why coroner’s office is looped into the sales tax proposal on the December ballot. If passed the parish will have the funds to keep the office afloat, but if voters decide no, “cases would be ruined,” Tape said. “All the juries expect DNA evidence, and they expect it to be in a timely manner.”
The parish is hosting a Q&A session on Facebook live Tuesday November 10 from 2:30-3:30pm. Later that evening they will host a Keep St. Tammany safe budget meeting at the Bush Community Center at 6pm, then again on Thursday at the Pearl River Community Center at 6pm.
READ MORE:Funding crisis threatens future of St. Tammany Parish’s coroner’s office
