(The Center Square) – Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux has withdrawn the 2% surcharge from the 2026 budget proposal after receiving input from both city residents and the council.
The withdrawal came on Thursday, following a letter from Arceneaux to the city council.
“After receiving input from citizens and you, I have decided to withdraw the two percent water surcharge proposal,” Arceneaux wrote to the city council. “I have asked the Chief Administrative prepare the budget ordinances without the surcharge and without the intended uses of the funds that the surcharge was projected to generate.”
While Arceneaux has withdrawn the proposed surcharge, he still urges resolutions to the issue of blight in the Shreveport area with hopes that something can be done to demolish dilapidated structures.
“Blight impacts every neighborhood in our city. We must continue working together to find realistic and responsible ways to eliminate it without jeopardizing the City’s financial stability,” said Arceneaux.
The 2% surcharge proposal was announced alongside the mayor’s proposed 2026 budget as a way of combating blight in the area. The surcharge was anticipated to generate $3 million before it expired in mid-2027.
Without the surcharge, Shreveport is looking at alternative ways to address blighted structures, including state and federal grants, partnerships and possibly having the National Guard help if deployed.
