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D.A. candidate Chesson
explains homestead
exemption discrepancies
Posted: Oct 28, 2014 7:41 PM CDT
Updated: Oct 27, 2015 8:06 PM CDT
By Theresa Schmidt CONNECT
According to records with the Cameron Parish tax assessor, Calcasieu D.A. candidate
Christian Chesson still has a homestead exemption there--even though Chesson admits
he hasn't lived in Cameron parish since 2011.
Homeowners in Louisiana love the homestead exemption because it saves money on
their property tax bills.
But taxpayers are only allowed one homestead exemption and it must be on the home in
which they live.
Marrero
woman wins
half-million ...
The exemption Chesson has in Cameron Parish saves him about a thousand dollars a
year on his Cameron Parish property taxes.
Palestine
The Cameron Parish tax assessor native says Adrian she plans to send Chesson a certified letter
notifying him she plans to pull Peterson the homestead ... exemption on his property at 124 Beach
Boulevard at Johnson Bayou in Cameron Parish. It's an exemption that has saved him
around $2000 over the last two years.
Louisiana's homestead exemption basically exempts homeowners from paying certain
property taxes on the first $75,000 dollars of the value of their home. But it must be the
home in which they live.
According to Chesson's own news release he has not lived in Cameron Parish since 2011.
When he officially signed up to run for Calcasieu District Attorney the address Chesson
gave was 27 Carriage Lane in Lake Charles. His father, Lilton Chesson, has a homestead
exemption on that property. According to Chesson his father lives in Texas. The Calcasieu
Tax assessor is investigating whether Lilton Chesson should lose the exemption on
Carriage Lane since he does not live there.
Chesson also used 27 Carriage Lane when he registered to vote in Calcasieu in 2011, even
though the application says "must be address where you claim homestead exemption."
Because of the homestead exemption in Cameron, Chesson has saved $1045.65 in 2012
and $950.92 in 2013. He would also save $950 in 2014 except that the Cameron tax
assessor expects his exemption to be pulled.
In a news release, Chesson says, "When I changed my legal domicile and voter registration
to Calcasieu Parish more than three years ago, I notified the assessors office in Cameron
parish." Chesson goes on saying, "I was honestly unaware they had not removed the
homestead exemption from the property, which I have not occupied since 2011."
However Cameron Tax Assessor Mona Kelley disputes any error on their part saying they
have no record of any notice from Chesson. Kelley says they require written
documentation to pull a homestead exemption.
A spokesman for Chesson says he admits he owes taxes for the years he was not entitled
to the exemption and will pay them once he receives a bill.
Chesson was not available for an on camera interview but just today his campaign
spokesman James Hartman reiterated.
"The exemption in Cameron Parish was an error, not an attempt by Mr. Chesson to