Louisiana residents sue to challenge SpaceX tax incentive deal

Three residents of Vermilion Parish and the nonprofit Vermilion Citizens Coalition, Inc. have filed a lawsuit against parish officials, alleging violations of open meetings laws. The legal action targets decisions made during four meetings in July and August, which plaintiffs claim were a concerted effort to conceal key project developments from the public.

The lawsuit seeks to void a landmark tax incentive agreement, known as a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) agreement, designed to secure a $100 billion SpaceX project. Under the current deal, the Starbase Louisiana facility would be exempt from local property taxes but is required to pay $25 million annually to local taxing authorities.

The contested decisions include the approval of an ExxonMobil settlement that released 125,000 acres of marshland for the project, the reactivation of the Vermilion Parish Industrial Development Board, and the final signing of the PILOT agreement.