John Walters

If you haven't received your letter from the St Tammany Parish assessor you will shortly. Bad news our taxes have jumped considerably. I urge everyone to visit the websiteand view their new valuations. I also urge everyone to attend the public meeting to voice your opinion to these boards to roll back millages. If you intend to sell your home one day you need to do this.

Factor in the increase cost of insurance on top of higher property taxes and your house isn't that affordable any longer to most potential buyers. These dates for the meetings will be on the above website after October 16th.

Looking to buy or sell in Slidell, Lacombe or Pearl River, call John Walters @ 640-1817.

How many of you heard or noticed that the co called credit bail out bill has numerous other "PORK" added into it? There is a provision for the maker of wooden arrows. Something for NASCAR and something for the wool industry. This is the problem in our capitol. Too many special interest groups period. Really wooden arrow makers????

Those of us that have property in St Tammany Parish can go to the website and see the damage. This was a re-assessment year. My taxes doubled and I am sure yours did also. I believe you have two weeks to challenge these new assessments. This is going to be hard on homeowners hitting when the economy is in a downturn. A kind of double whammy. If you go to the site be patient the sever must be near over loaded.

The Louisiana MS Bike 150 Tour kicks off next Saturday. For two days bike riders will pedal their way for 150 miles. All of this is done for funding research for MS. I have already made my donation, how about you? If you know someone who suffers from this disease then you know first hand how debilitating it can become. For more information go to the MS website.

Finally after two long years the Fremaux Short Cut interchange has opened in Slidell. Katrina delayed this project for a year. Seems the contractor moved at a snails pace once started. This interchange is right next to the Billion Dollar Fremaux project that is under construction at this time. The first phase is scheduled to open in 2010. This also will relieve traffic off of Gause Blvd. I have to admit I used it today and it was worth the wait.