re: La. Constitutional Amendments

I'm voting no on all except #10 which shortens the redemption period for tax delinquent real estate from 3 years to 18 months. I'm voting yes on #10.

If someone wants to buy abandoned property at a tax sale, the previous owner has 3 years to pay the back taxes and re-claim the property. That means new owners who purchase the property from a tax sale can't really do anything to clean the property up until the 3 years have passed or they risk having someone else come in and take over their improvements without paying for it.

The 18 months wait time is plenty for a property owner to show up and pay the back taxes and it allows the new owner to start cleaning up/tearing down the old structure sooner, thus cleaning up neighborhoods.

New Orleans has had the 18 month wait since Katrina and it has worked well for them without any adverse impact on tax delinquent owners, IMO. That's why amendment #10 mentions New Orleans because it already has the shortened wait time of 18 months.