Bossier Parish School Board considers 'rolling forward' millage rates: That's a tax increase
Plus — Bossier Sheriff SROs practice school safety drills. Traffic hassles. Live music calendar.
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Bossier Parish School Board considers 'rolling forward' millage rates: That's a tax increase
Sometimes your taxes go up, and nobody notices. Or asks your opinion. Next month, the Bossier Parish School Board will make a decision that affects your taxes. Here's what's happening.
Property values are increasing in Bossier Parish. The tax assessor automatically "rolls back" the millages. The concept is: If property values — and taxes — rise, a tax millage should be adjusted lower to compensate for the increase so that property owners pay the same amount of taxes.
However, government entities that receive the tax revenue can vote to "roll forward" the millages. That means you pay more taxes.
At Thursday's school board meeting, CFO Nicia Bamburg recommended a roll forward in September.
"As you all know, every four years, the tax assessor does a reassessment of the property, and when he does that, they will adjust the millages at that point based on that reassessment," Bamburg told the school board. "We do have the option, if the property value has increased, to roll forward the millage from the prior year."
Bamburg noted that two millages, the constitutional tax and the school salary tax, are eligible for the roll forward.
"We have the option to roll both of those millages forward this year, and so it is going to be our recommendation, and we will be bringing it at the September meeting," Bamburg added.
The board will officially vote on the roll forward in September.
Bossier Sheriff SROs train for active school threats
The Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office School Resource Officer Unit has been busy training and preparing for the start of a new school year. The squad is tasked with keeping students, teachers, and staff safe throughout the school year.
The SROs conducted training Thursday at Airline High School, working on identifying and confronting active threats in a large classroom wing.
"This is one of the largest units at the Sheriff's Office and I feel confident that they are up to the task to protect our school campuses based on the type of training that they receive every year," Sheriff Julian Whittington said.
Industrial Drive ramp closure rescheduled
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development says the partial interchange closure for the Industrial Drive (LA 782-2) ramps at I-20 in Bossier City has been rescheduled.
Beginning Monday, August 19, 2024, the I-20 eastbound off-ramp and the westbound on and off-ramps at Industrial Drive will be closed to allow the contractor to remove the existing pavement and roadway base and replace them with new base and concrete. The eastbound on-ramp to I-20 from Industrial Drive will remain open.
This interchange closure is anticipated to be in place until early October 2024, weather permitting.
Motorists can access I-20 from the Benton Road, Barksdale Blvd., or Airline Drive interchanges. The Old Minden Road interchange remains closed at this time for continued reconstruction.
Other construction work on the project is continuing, including pouring concrete for new travel lanes on the interstate, drainage improvements, and nighttime concrete panel repairs on the Shreveport side of the project.
Benton Road lane closure
Beginning on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, the southbound outside (right) lane of LA 3 (Benton Road) will be closed from Montgomery Lane to Shed Road in Bossier City.
Continued lane closures are necessary to allow the contractor for the ongoing Walter O. Bigby Carriageway project to work on Shed Road near the intersection with Benton Road.
This lane closure is anticipated to last approximately four weeks.
Bossier Parish Schools calendar reminder
A reminder of some key dates for Bossier Parish schools:
Bossier City free time calendar
Live music in Bossier City and other notable events in the area for your free time consideration. If you would like to add an event to the Bossier City free time calendar, send the details to email@bossiernow.com.
August 16-25: The BPCC Theatre and The Cavalier Players will stage a production of Murder at The Howard Johnson's, a light-hearted suspense comedy by Ron Clark and Sam Bobrick. The show will run from August 16 to August 25, 2024, in the Stephen W. Slaughter Theatre in Building C on the BPCC campus.
August 31: Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Elle King at the Paradise Theatre in the Margaritaville Casino.
August 31: William Lee Martin brings his "King of Cowtown" comedy tour to the Louisiana Grandstand.
September 7: The Cleverlys, a one-of-a-kind, unique comedy and music experience at the Louisiana Grandstand. "If Dolly Parton, Earl Scruggs, and Spinal Tap spawned a litter of puppies, it would be The Cleverlys," says the New York Times.
September 12: Pony Bradshaw makes a rare Louisiana stop at the legendary listening room of Louisiana Grandstand. Catch Pony Bradshaw as he fuses Americana, rock, folk and many other styles.
September 13: Comedian Rodney Carrington at the Paradise Theatre in the Margaritaville Casino.
September 14: Cody Johnson, The Leather Tour at the BGA.
October 18: Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Darrell Scott at the Louisiana Grandstand.
October 20: Jelly Roll, The Beautifully Broken Tour, with Warren Zeiders and Alexandra Kay at the BGA.
October 26: Daughtry at the Paradise Theatre in the Margaritaville Casino.
November 1-3: Disney On Ice presents Frozen & Encanto at the BGA.
November 16: Creed, Are You Ready? Tour at the BGA with 3 Doors Down and Mammoth WVH.
November 23: William Clark Green brings his "Whole Lotta Lubbock" tour to his debut appearance at the Louisiana Grandstand. Green is tearing up Texas dance halls and filling venues all over the country with his hits like "She Likes The Beatles" and "West Texas in My Eye."
December 13: Creed Fisher at the Louisiana Grandstand.
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