(The Center Square) – The Bossier City proposed 2026 budget is estimating 14.8% more General Fund revenue than the current year amended budget, and 4.5% more in sales tax revenue.
The Bossier City Council held a workshop this week to discuss the proposed budget prepared by the administration. According to Chief Administraive Officer Amanda Nottingham, the projected increase in revenue is based on what the city has brought in throughout previous years. Typically, the administration estimates this on the lower side and would bring in more than anticipated.
Other areas increasing are the General Fund expenses by 4.29% compared to the revised budget for this year.
Total expenditures budget across all funds is estimated at $283.3 million for 2026, almost a 2% increase from this year, with $80.5 million coming from the General Fund.
There is a $3.4 million increase in salaries for the 2026 budget. However, this largely accounts for raises given to employees this year that were not included in the 2025 budget. This year, there were $5.6 million in raises, with a budgeted amount of $3.3 million. The additional $2.3 million is being budgeted in the 2026 proposal, along with a state-mandated 2% cost-of-living increase for civil service police and fire employees totaling $807,646 and a 2% cost-of-living increase for noncivil service employees totaling $333,406, for a total of the estimated $3.3 million in salary increases for the 2026 budget.
Overall, the administration is projecting employee numbers at 709, the same as this year, with slight shifting in departments.
The administration said the proposed budget is based on rolling property millages forward next year, but this may not be necessary if revenues exceed the budgeted amount to cover the roll forward. The amount needed would be $800,000, and they plan to evaluate this at the end of the second quarter.
The budget workshop allowed the council to ask questions and talk at length about the budget before holding a public hearing on the matter.
There will be a public hearing on the budget on Oct. 7, followed by the first reading. Second reading takes place Oct. 23.
