(The Center Square) — A special election on the renewal of taxes highlighted the Caddo Parish School Board meeting Tuesday.
Of the agenda items, a resolution ordering and calling a special election had the most buzz. The election, to be held on March 29 for any voter in the Caddo Parish school district, is to authorize millage renewals on all property subject to taxes in the district.
The taxes pay for three things: Employee salaries, school improvements, and technology.
As board members were approving the resolution, multiple board members spoke up to make sure the people voting know what this is for.
“Sometimes people, they don’t read all of the resolutions and if it’s raising anything it’s no, no ,no,” said District 2 board member Jasmine Green.
Green specified that no millage rates are going up, this is simply renewing the rates they have now through 2036. She and others also stressed that this tax is important for paying school employees what they deserve, and keeping facilities up to date.
In this meeting, the board also approved the purchase and sale agreement for the property located at 2020 Midway Avenue. This comes despite pushback in their last meeting, which The Center Square covered.
Essentially, some board members were concerned they were spending money on property for buses when they are already losing money due to a declining population in the parish. Others were worried about committing to a multi-year project without knowing how much it will cost in totality.
In the end, majority of board members felt this would relieve bus traffic and free up space for more departments that desperately need it.
“From a safety standpoint, we think this is a good investment,” Caddo superintendent Keith Burton said. “As well as being able to repurpose the existing transportation department eventually possibly moving other departments back to us rather than having them at isolated at other locations.”
The board later approved the 2025-2026 school year calendar.
