New Bossier City Council to order a 'tax reduction' audit and launch an investigation into 'off the books' spending
Plus — Gov. Landry vetoes weight-loss drug insurance coverage for state employees, teachers.
Bossier City weekend weather — Today: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid-90s. Southwest winds around 5 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid-70s. South winds around 5 mph. Saturday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid-90s. Southwest winds around 5 mph. Saturday night: Mostly clear. Lows in the mid-70s. South winds around 5 mph. Sunday: Partly cloudy. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the mid-90s. Southwest winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 20%. Sunday night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 70s.
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New Bossier City Council to order a 'tax reduction' audit and launch an investigation into 'off the books' spending
The newly seated Bossier City Council will hit the ground running Tuesday with at least three measures meant to increase efficiencies, look for ways to reduce taxes, keep an eye on the Chandler administration's legal settlements, and launch an investigation into 'off the books' spending.
A new generation of leadership is taking its seat at the table of Bossier City government.
Tuesday, after a swearing-in ceremony at 10 am in the Civic Center, a reform-minded City Council will be seated for its first meeting at 3 pm in City Hall. While there will be some usual tasks to attend to, three new business items highlight the new path forward for Bossier City government.
The Council will consider three groundbreaking initiatives:
One is to look at local government efficiencies seeking out ways to lower the tax burden on citizens.
Another adds a Council watchdog to City Administration spending on legal settlements. This is in response to the "free driveways" issue that was raised by District 1's Brian Hammons.
And the final launches an independent investigation into the 'off the books' payouts that Mayor Tommy Chandler had promised to look into, but apparently never did.
The Tax Reduction Audit
The first ordinance, called the Tax Reduction Audit, is sponsored by Chris Smith and Brian Hammons, two second-term council members who form the core of the government reform initiative.
The ordinance states that "Bossier City taxpayers deserve assurance that their tax dollars are being managed efficiently, responsibly, and lawfully" and "periodic, transparent financial reviews help identify waste, inefficiencies, non-compliance, and opportunities for tax relief or reinvestment."
While the ordinance says that there is no "specific allegation of wrongdoing," the audit aims to identify efficiency and cost savings.
The trailblazing independent audit of Bossier City government will review the 12 most recent fiscal years, evaluating:
City funds, restricted accounts, investments, reserves, and debt service
Bonded debt, liabilities, long-term obligations, and debt schedules
Capital projects, contracts, infrastructure, and city-owned property
Financial policies, internal controls, reporting standards, and management practices
Compliance with Louisiana law concerning public funds, debt, procurement, and fiscal administration
Interviews with city officials, department heads, and finance personnel on policies, procedures, and operations.
When completed, he audit firm will present the findings and recommendations at a public Council meeting, and the full report shall be made available to the public.
Legal settlement procedures and an investigation
Following the "free driveways" issue, a resolution adds the Council President to the approval workflow for "any payments made to individuals for legal settlements" exceeding $75,000.
"The Bossier City Council is charged with the fiduciary responsibility to oversee the appropriate and lawful use of public funds," the ordinance says, and "it has come to the attention of the Bossier City Council that public funds were expended to construct parking lots at the private businesses known as Scot’s Audio and Bossier Power Equipment."
And yet another resolution launches an investigation into the same matter, "because the Louisiana State Constitution prohibits the donation, loan, or pledge of public funds for private purposes, requiring that public expenditures must demonstrate a clear and defined public purpose."
The resolution further states that "preliminary observations indicate these parking lots may lack a clear public purpose, warranting further inquiry and scrutiny to ensure compliance with state constitutional provisions and applicable laws."
An Investigative Committee will be established, consisting of three City Council members, appointed by the President of the Council, to investigate the circumstances, expenditures, and authorizations related to the construction of parking lots at Scot’s Audio and Bossier Power Equipment using public funds.
Authorities converge on tour bus in Bossier City
A strange scene unfolded on I-20 Thursday, as the passengers of a tour bus were unloaded on the shoulder of the highway and law enforcement authorities searched the vehicle.
It all began around 4 pm when the Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office received a report of a bus dropping off a number of individuals along Sligo Road in south Bossier Parish.
State police, BPSO, and an agent with the Homeland Security Task Force apparently believed a possible illegal immigrant situation was at hand. The bus was subsequently stopped on I-20 near Industrial Drive, where all of the remaining passengers were unloaded.
After clearing the bus and searching the scene, it was found that all of the passengers on the bus possessed valid work visas, authorizing them to work legally in the United States.
Landry vetoes weight-loss drug insurance coverage for state employees, teachers
Gov. Jeff Landry struck language from the Louisiana budget plan that could have provided state employees and public school teachers with insurance coverage for popular weight-loss medication over the next year.
The governor does not think the state would be able to cover the cost for the obesity drugs on a long-term basis.
“These drugs can cost $1,000 a month per person,” Landry wrote in his letter to state lawmakers about the veto. “Even temporary coverage could set expectations for long-term use that Louisiana simply cannot afford.”
The provision would have affected those enrolled in state health insurance plans with the Louisiana Office of Group Benefits. The office provides coverage to 223,000 people, including state employees, public school teachers, retirees and their dependents.
It’s not clear how many would have been given access to the weight-loss medication before the governor’s veto.
The struck-out language called for those health plans to “incorporate semaglutide medications for the purposes of weight loss” into their pharmacy benefits, but only if it didn’t cost the state self-insured plans more money.
The coverage was also only guaranteed for the 2025-26 budget cycle, which runs from July 1 through June 30, 2026.
Semaglutide is sold under the brand names Ozempic, Rybelus and Wegovy and has become a popular weight-loss tool in recent years. It was originally developed to treat Type II diabetes and is supposed to be taken indefinitely. Patients are expected to regain weight they lost if they stop using the medication.
Prescription prices can lower when semaglutide is initially prescribed because of rebates drug manufacturers offer. But as Landry observed, the medication is very expensive, especially if those discounts are discontinued.
Louisiana also has a higher-than-average obesity rate of 40%, compared with just 32.8% nationally, which means more people would likely qualify for the treatment.
“If just a small portion of eligible employees begin using them, the long-term costs could quickly climb into the tens of millions,” the governor wrote in his veto message.
North Carolina and West Virginia initially offered to cover weight-loss drugs for their state employees but ended up cutting the benefit when the price tags for doing so skyrocketed. Connecticut and Illinois have continued to offer weight-loss drug coverage to their state employees – but at a cost of at least $40 million and $210 million, respectively.
Even if it can’t be used for weight loss, Landry said state health care plans will continue to offer semaglutide to Type II diabetes patients.
– By Julie O'Donoghue/Louisiana Illuminator
BPCC extends deadline for healthcare careers summer camp for middle schoolers
Bossier Parish Community College, in collaboration with the Northwest Louisiana Healthcare Sector Partnership, will host the Med Quest Summer Youth Camp this July, offering a hands-on, immersive experience designed to inspire middle school students to explore careers in healthcare.
The deadline to register has been extended.
Med Quest is open to students who have completed the seventh grade during the 2024–2025 school year and are entering eighth grade this fall. The week-long camp provides an engaging introduction to healthcare professions through interactive activities and demonstrations led by experienced industry professionals. Campers will explore career paths in nursing, emergency medicine, laboratory science, and other high-demand fields, while connecting with healthcare mentors and peers who share similar interests.
Two sessions of the camp will be offered from July 14–18 and July 21–25. Camp will be held from 9 am until 2 pm each day in Building B on BPCC’s Bossier campus, located at 6220 East Texas Street. The registration fee is $75 per camper and includes a scrub top, official camp badge, and daily lunch provided by participating healthcare organizations. Students with food allergies are asked to bring their own lunch.
Acceptance is limited to 30 qualified applicants per session. To be considered, applicants must complete all registration requirements by the June 29 deadline, including a signed waiver, agreement to camp policies, and full payment. Official notice of acceptance will be emailed by June 30 to the parent or legal guardian.
Med Quest is made possible through the support of the Northwest Louisiana Healthcare Sector Partnership, which includes Bossier Parish Community College, Willis-Knighton Health System, Delta Pathology, David Raines Community Health Centers, Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport, Louisiana Workforce Commission, Brentwood Hospital, CHRISTUS Health, North La Technical Community College, City of Shreveport, and The Coordinating & Development Corporation.
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.
June 27: 90s Country at Live Casino PBR Bar: The Crowd at Live Casino & Hotel Louisiana.
June 27: 2025 Calumet Open Golf Tournament at Northwood Hills Country Club.
June 28: Summer Pop Up Shop! at Louisiana Boardwalk.
July 11: Grammy Award winner Ashanti at the Riverdome inside the Horseshoe Bossier City.
July 18: Randy Rogers Band at The Stage at Silver Star
July 24: Parker McCollum brings his What Kinda Man tour to the BGA.
August 15: KC and the Sunshine Band will bring their classic funk and disco sound to the Riverdome at Horseshoe Casino & Hotel. 8 pm.
September 12: Hudson Westbrook and the Texas Forever Fall Tour. Shreveport Municipal Auditorium.
September 13: Lainey Wilson at the Brookshire Grocery Arena
October 17: Zach Top and his "Cold Beer and Country Music" tour 8pm at the Brookshire Grocery Arena.
October 18: Wanda Sykes and her "Please and Thank You" tour at the Horseshoe Bossier City.
October 24: Styx at the Live Casino & Hotel Louisiana. 8:00 pm. Tickets start at $59.99. Must be 21+
November 20: ZZ Top at Shreveport Municipal Auditorium
December 12: Jiaoying Summers at the Live! Casino and Hotel. Get ready for a night of fearless, dark, and laugh-out-loud comedy from a global sensation with over 1 billion views online! You’ve seen her viral “Uber Karen” sketch and hilarious English name roasts — now catch her live on her “What Specie Are You?” tour!
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