(The Center Square) — The State Bond Commission will meet on Thursday at 10 a.m. to discuss various parish financial requests, including $15 million for the Orleans Parish Law Enforcement District.
Orleans Parish is asking for $15 million in limited tax bonds to use for upkeep of jails and replacing security and surveillance equipment.
The request comes a few months after 10 inmates escaped from the Orleans Parish Justice Center on May 16. Reports show the 10 inmates made a hole behind a cell toilet and successfully escaped. As of now, nine of the inmates have been taken back into custody.
According to the State Bond Commission agenda for Thursday, Orleans Parish is requesting limited tax bonds not to exceed $15 million, 6% and 10 years.
Other agenda items include Natchitoches Parish requesting $990,000 in taxable sewer revenue bonds to repair and replace sewer systems, Terrebonne Parish Hospital Service District No. 1 requesting $80 million in Hospital Revenue and Refunding Revenue Bonds and Webster Parish requesting $10.5 million in sales tax revenue bonds for the construction and improvements to a baseball and softball recreational complex.
The Center Square previously reported on the ongoing Jimmie Davis Bridge project in Bossier, which is on the Thursday agenda. The project title outlines rehabilitation, lighting, design, construction and planning. The first line item for fiscal year 2026 priority one shows $67 million and the second with priority five shows $86 million.
Priority one is a cash line of credit for non-state, local government projects. Priority five is noncash lines of credit for state projects.
It is unclear whether this is additional funding needed or factored into the project’s $361 million projected cost.
Bossier City recently approved additional funding for the project back in June.
