Bossier City Council Divided Over Proposed Pay Hikes and Tax Increase Debate

Bossier City Plans Pay Hikes: Will Taxes Go Up?

Bossier City is buzzing with talk about possible pay raises for city employees and first responders, and it looks like a show-down is brewing over how to pay for it. Mayor Tommy Chandler has tossed around the idea of a property tax increase along with a hefty $1 million annual transfer from the Parkway Capital budget to make sure city workers and first responders see an extra $500 in their paychecks each month. This is no small change, and while it certainly sounds good, city council members are divided on the best way to make it happen.

Property Tax Troubles

Last week, during a heated council meeting, council member David Montgomery threw a wrench into the mayor’s proposal by suggesting using surpluses from the city budget instead of raising property taxes to fund those pay hikes for all non-civil service employees. Through some back-and-forth discussions, Montgomery’s amendment passed, shaking up the original plan Mayor Chandler had laid out.

Amanda Nottingham, the Chief Administrative Officer, provided some clarity on the matter. “The amended budget includes $1,758,438 directed towards boosting salaries for both the Fire and Police Departments,” she noted. However, there’s a twist! Louisiana law makes it tricky to grant across-the-board raises to firefighters, so both chiefs of the respective departments will have to allocate funds based on merit within their teams.

Surplus or Tax Increase?

As it stands, the amended budget is set to return to the council for a final vote this Tuesday. The discussion now largely revolves around utilizing that potential surplus versus raising property taxes. “The surplus will only be used for coverage of the salary hikes in 2025,” Nottingham explained. From 2026 onwards, it seems new revenue forecasts will be needed to sustain the salary growth.

“Over the past few years, we’ve noticed that our actual revenue has been exceeding projected figures,” Nottingham continued, hinting that such trends could underlie the government’s cautious optimism for future budgets. However, let’s not overlook that the city hasn’t made any amendments to property taxes yet, which keeps the option on the table.

Debate Rages On

But not everyone is convinced that this plan is on the right track. Councilmember Chris Smith has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the Montgomery amendment. “The crux of the matter is that the council has historically underestimated revenues, contributing to this hefty fund balance we’ve got now,” he said. Smith expressed concern that if the city had more accurately projected revenues historically, they could have figured out a more sustainable plan by now.

“I believe the Montgomery amendment will likely pass, but it’s setting up the next council to do the heavy lifting later on,” he added, sounding the alarm on what might be a challenging situation for the next group of city leaders.

Conclusion

Bossier City is at a pivotal moment when it comes to compensation for its hardworking employees and first responders. With discussions centered around budget surpluses and property taxes, it seems everyone is holding their breath for the council’s final vote. Will the city choose to give its workers the boost they deserve without adding a strain on property owners? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure—this is a conversation that’s far from over!