Facing intense scrutiny over its finances and taxing structure, St. Tammany's mosquito-fighting agency has filed a lawsuit asking a judge to stop the St. Tammany Parish Council's investigation into the agency's budget.

In the petition filed in the 22nd Judicial District Court in Covington on Wednesday, the St. Tammany Mosquito Abatement District argues that a review of the district's finances that the Parish Council conducted in conjunction with northshore District Attorney Collin Sims was "illegal and unauthorized."

In February, ahead of a March referendum in which parish voters were deciding on a tax proposition to fund the parish's criminal justice system, the council formed a transparency committee along with Sims to look for ways to save taxpayers money.

With Sims as the lead fact

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