The Sorrento Town Council has decided to give $2,000 to the Ascension Parish Assessor's Office to help pay for aerial photography technology designed to help identify unmarked and untaxed properties in the parish. The council approved the funding Tuesday night.
Parish Assessor M.J. Smiley Jr. told the council at its last meeting that the aerial photography technology would turn a six-year project using on-the-ground employees into one that could be completed by next summer and net the town of Sorrento $8,749 in additional property tax revenue during just the first year.
Smiley says the parish school board and sheriff's office are among other governing bodies expected to donate money toward funding the project as well.