Also, expectations for the coming year

Christmas and New Year’s Day are behind, and Mardi Gras festivities are ramping up. It’s a great time to look back on the year that was in 2024 and to look ahead to what 2025 has in store.

For Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux, the one overriding success of 2024 also is the driving force behind improving the city’s future in 2025.

“I think the biggest thing that we did for 2024, in terms of moving the city forward, was the passage of the bond issue on April 27,” Arcerneaux said.

Three bond issues went before city voters in April to raise funds for capital improvement projects across the city. Support for the bond initiatives was overwhelming.

“We had over 80 percent for two of the propositions and over 78 percent for the third proposition,” the mayor said.

After the bond propositions passed, Arceneaux formed a Citizens Capital Improvements Committee to identify and prioritize projects.

The first set of bonds under the propositions was sold on Nov. 20. Arceneaux said the terms of the sale presented a bonus for the city.

“We ended up with a lower interest rate,” he said. “The way that translates is you end up with more money. We are ending up with some extra cash. The effective interest rate was under 5%, so we will have some additional dollars if we have overages or additional projects or what have you, we will have money.

“In addition, the council and the Capital Improvement Committee recommended, and we agreed, that we have program managers for these (projects). The additional dollars will help to pay for the program managers, because they are not part of the project costs.”

Now that passage of the bonds is in the rearview mirror, Arceneaux said residents can look forward to seeing the work begin this year.

“I think our biggest thing going forward is, since we have sold $88 million worth of bonds, we will begin working on projects,” he said. “Significant work at the Amiss Water Treatment Plant. At least $28 million in street projects across the city that this will fund. We hope to be under construction on all of those by the end of 2025.”

The bonds from the 2024 proposals will be sold in three phases. And those aren’t the only bonds the city plans to sell, the mayor said.

“Toward the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026, we will go to market with the second group (of bonds),” he said. “We have quite a plate full of projects that we will be working on for 2025.”

Arceneaux said the city is building an online dashboard where residents can track progress on specific projects from the bond proposals. He said the dashboard will be available on the city’s website when completed.

But that’s not all that citizens can expect in 2025.

“Another thing that’s big that we did is we have made arrangements to move everybody out of 1234 Texas,” Arceneaux said of the Shreveport Police headquarters. “Some of them permanently, because a couple of those will be in permanent locations, and some of them temporarily until we can get a couple of permanent substations and get the headquarters built.”

Arceneaux said the city is in the process of going to market for the final $29 million from that 2021 bond issue.

“It is under design,” he said of the project.

“We hope to have it fully designed and bid and perhaps construction begun in 2025 for the new police headquarters.”

Mayor recovering from hip surgery

Arceneaux has resumed his duties after undergoing hip surgery on Dec. 27.

The mayor suffered from hip pain for a number of weeks before the surgery and expects a full recovery.

Arceneaux plans to resume his full schedule as soon as possible. He said in a news release that he is grateful for the prayers and support of Shreveport residents.

Extended property tax deadline nears

Taxpayers have until Jan. 15 to pay any 2024 ad valorem property taxes in Shreveport.

Payments postmarked by Jan. 15 will be considered on time, with no penalties or additional fees assessed.

“This temporary waiver gives our residents a little more time to meet their obligations,” Arceneaux said in a news release. “We want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to stay current on their taxes while managing other end-of-year responsibilities.”

Taxpayers can make payments online at www.shreveportla.gov/288/Property-Tax-Information, by mail, or in person at Government Plaza. For questions or concerns, contact the City of Shreveport Revenue Department at (318) 673-5585.