Tax rates are based on millages, bond issues, and fees that have been voted by registered voters in the various districts which have been established by the Legislature or Constitution.  The tax monies collected for the districts go to pay for schools, roads, law enforcement, fire protection, and other services that the taxpayers demand and desire from local government.  To calculate the taxes on your property, you must take the assessed value, which is a percentage of 'fair market value", and multiply it by the appropriate tax or millage rate to arrive at the amount due.  If, as an example, you have $1000 of taxable assessed value and the tax rate is 105 mills, you would pay $1000 x .105 = $105 in taxes.  If your home is valued at $100,000, and you are eligible and have applied for homestead exemption, you would calculate your taxes as follows:

$100,000 (Fair Market Value)
x         10% (Level of Assessment)   
  $10,000 (Assessed Value)
-    7,500 (Maximum Homestead Exemption)
     2,500 (Taxable Value)
x      .107 (Tax Rate)          
       $267.50 (Total Parish Taxes Due)

When additional taxes are voted for by the people, an individual's property tax bill will increase.  Also, when market value increases, naturally, so does the assessed value.  If you were to make improvements to your existing property, for instance, add a garage, or an additional room, the "fair market value" increases, and therefore, the assessed value would also increase.  The assessor has not created the value.  People make the value by their transactions in the marketplace.  The assessor simply has the legal and moral responsibility to study those transactions and assess your property accordingly. 

Even if you do not receive a tax notice, it is your responsibility to be sure that the property taxes have been paid.  You may contact the appropriate tax collector to determine the amount of property taxes owed and whether or not the taxes have been paid.