Lake Charles faces $13.7 million shortfall after tax renewals fail; mayor to refile Dec. 12
July 02, 2026 | Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana
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Mayor Marshall Simeon Jr. announced during his July 2 State of the City address that three property‑tax renewal measures on the recent ballot failed and created a $13.7 million shortfall in the city’s budget.
"That failure to renew those property taxes means there's a $13.7 million shortfall to the city of Lake Charles budget," Simeon said. He told residents the shortfall is equivalent to "more than a million dollars a month" in city revenue and explained that the taxes fund city workers' salaries, maintenance of public buildings, streets and playgrounds.
The mayor said state law imposes a six‑month cooling‑off period after the vote and that the city will refile the renewal questions for the Dec. 12 ballot. Simeon stressed the administration will present the full fiscal impact in the recommended budget, which is due to the city council on Aug. 15; the council must pass a final budget by Sept. 15.
Officials said they will not "campaign" for or against the millage measures while certain legal constraints are in effect and that the city will instead publish factual materials showing what services are funded by the renewals and how the shortfall would affect operations if the measures do not pass.
Why it matters: the mayor said the renewals pay for core services — including police, firefighters and public‑works staffing, public buildings and playground maintenance. A sustained revenue gap would require changes to personnel, maintenance schedules and capital projects, Simeon said; the administration pledged transparency so voters can see specific impacts before the December vote.
Next procedural steps: the administration will finalize budget scenarios for the Aug. 15 submission to council, publish materials describing the use of the millage dollars, and place the renewal questions on the Dec. 12 ballot.
Details that were not specified in the address: the mayor provided the aggregate shortfall amount but did not give line‑by‑line budget reductions or identify which specific positions or programs would be cut if the renewal fails again.
"That failure to renew those property taxes means there's a $13.7 million shortfall to the city of Lake Charles budget," Simeon said. He told residents the shortfall is equivalent to "more than a million dollars a month" in city revenue and explained that the taxes fund city workers' salaries, maintenance of public buildings, streets and playgrounds.
The mayor said state law imposes a six‑month cooling‑off period after the vote and that the city will refile the renewal questions for the Dec. 12 ballot. Simeon stressed the administration will present the full fiscal impact in the recommended budget, which is due to the city council on Aug. 15; the council must pass a final budget by Sept. 15.
Officials said they will not "campaign" for or against the millage measures while certain legal constraints are in effect and that the city will instead publish factual materials showing what services are funded by the renewals and how the shortfall would affect operations if the measures do not pass.
Why it matters: the mayor said the renewals pay for core services — including police, firefighters and public‑works staffing, public buildings and playground maintenance. A sustained revenue gap would require changes to personnel, maintenance schedules and capital projects, Simeon said; the administration pledged transparency so voters can see specific impacts before the December vote.
Next procedural steps: the administration will finalize budget scenarios for the Aug. 15 submission to council, publish materials describing the use of the millage dollars, and place the renewal questions on the Dec. 12 ballot.
Details that were not specified in the address: the mayor provided the aggregate shortfall amount but did not give line‑by‑line budget reductions or identify which specific positions or programs would be cut if the renewal fails again.
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