Rick Ducote News Today

Records show Rapides Sheriff Mark Wood has taken loans against his home worth far more than the figure the parish assessor has placed on it.

Rapides Parish Assessor Rick Ducote has updated some of his numbers after the Illuminator published an investigation that revealedsuper low property values for multiple elected officials. 

Sheriff Mark Wood, for example, has been billed $0 for property taxes on his own home for at least the past seven years.

After an article from the independent news organization Louisiana Illuminator revealed staggering low tax assessments for some Rapides Parish public officials, Tax Assessor Richard “Rick” Ducote made adjustments.

The assessor says he wasn’t aware some owners of sprawling homes paid $0 in property taxes.

Assessor says he wasn’t aware some owners of sprawling homes paid $0 in property taxes.