IP Plant Closure Affects Morehouse Parish Revenue

BASTROP, La. (AP) - Morehouse Parish sales tax collections fell almost instantly when the last International Paper payroll check was cut in early January. Though the plant closed in November, the work force continued to be paid for six weeks.

Parish-wide sales tax collection showed a 30 percent increase in December, but immediately tanked in January by more than 20 percent.

And with the closure of the Pilgrim's Pride chicken processing plant in Union Parish, Morehouse Parish is bracing for a continued drop in sales tax revenues.

Out of the nearly 1,300 Pilgrim's Pride employees, an estimated 500 of those live in Morehouse Parish.

In Bastrop, January 2009 sales tax collections of $377,900 were nearly 26 percent less than collections in January 2008, which were $508,726.