SLS 16RS-2390 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 114
BY SENATOR JOHN SMITH
COMMENDATIONS. Commends James A. Johnson, Vernon Parish Assessor, upon the
occasion of his retirement as assessor after nearly forty years of dedicated service.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To commend James A. Johnson, former Vernon Parish Assessor, upon the occasion of his
3 retirement as assessor after nearly forty years of dedicated service in the assessor's
4 office.
5 WHEREAS, in 2015, James Johnson, Vernon Parish assessor, chose not to seek
6 re-election to a fourth term as assessor thus ending his dedicated service to the people of the
7 parish; and
8 WHEREAS, Mr. Johnson began work at the assessor's office in the mid-1970s and
9 his career was one of commitment and improving the office in order to better the service to
10 the people of Vernon Parish; and
11 WHEREAS, James Johnson worked at the assessor's office under the two assessors
12 who preceded his own service, Lucille G. Cavanaugh and Eugene W. Cavanaugh, and
13 following Mr. Cavanaugh stepping down, Johnson was elected to that post three times; and
14 WHEREAS, directly prior to his being selected as assessor, Mr. Johnson served as
15 deputy assessor; and
16 WHEREAS, Johnson considered it an honor and a privilege to serve the citizens of
17 Vernon Parish and he was humbled by their trust in him to perform the duties of assessor
18 without favoritism or prejudice; and
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SLS 16RS-2390 ORIGINAL
1 WHEREAS, during his tenure as assessor, James Johnson worked diligently to assist
2 the people of his parish and he brought a broad range of improvements, particularly,
3 technological advancements to the office; and
4 WHEREAS, Mr. Johnson stated that he enjoyed serving the people of Vernon Parish
5 and was gratified that he was elected to the office of assessor three times; and
6 WHEREAS, a parish tax assessor is responsible for appraising real estate, which is
7 determining the market value of the property, and assessing a tax on those properties within
8 the parish, and Mr. Johnson maintained a good rapport with the citizens whose properties
9 he assessed; and
10 WHEREAS, James Johnson was a member of the Louisiana Assessors' Association
11 and he served on the board of trustees of the assessors' retirement fund and on the
12 association's retirement fund benefit plan committee; and
13 WHEREAS, James Johnson graduated from Pitkin High School, where he and his
14 wife both attended, and studied at Louisiana State University before returning to his Vernon
15 Parish roots to become a public servant; and
16 WHEREAS, James and his wife, Landa, raised their son and are now greatly
17 enjoying spending time with their two granddaughters, Hadlee Kae and Jaylee Mae Johnson;
18 and
19 WHEREAS, a feeling of satisfaction with having served the people of his parish well
20 and his desire to spend more time with his family and grandchildren were the primary
21 motivating factors for James A. Johnson's decision to end his career as Vernon Parish
22 Assessor.
23 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
24 does hereby commend James A. Johnson, former Vernon Parish Assessor, upon the occasion
25 of his retirement as assessor after nearly forty years of dedicated service.
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
27 James A. Johnson.
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SLS 16RS-2390 ORIGINAL
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Mary Dozier O'Brien.
DIGEST
SR 114 Original 2016 Regular Session John Smith
Commends James A. Johnson, former Vernon Parish Assessor, upon the occasion of his
retirement as assessor.
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