Caddo Levee Board to reconsider tax renewal

The Caddo Levee District Board of Commissioners has decided to renew a property tax that was waived in 2011. But that might not be the final decision.

The board voted to renew the 3.21 mill property tax on property owners in the levee district.

The Levee District maintains 119.35 miles of levees in Caddo Parish, with 80 miles along the Red River. The district includes 18,969 parcels of land. Those properties, many of which are in Shreveport, are protected by the levee and therefore responsible for paying the Levee District tax.

In 2011 the board voted to waive the tax, because the Levee District didn't need the money. The district owns some 10,000 acres of property in Caddo Parish and collects oil and gas royalties and timber revenues. The Haynesville Shale meant big money for the Levee District, which now sits on an operating reserve of more than $31 million.

But in July the board decided that the Levee District should not use reserves for operating expenses, and renewed the tax. Carolyn Prator was the only board member to oppose the tax renewal.

"Just with a good conscience I cannot ask citizens to pay us money when we don't need it," Prator said. "And we don't need these taxes."

Prator has asked the board to reconsider the renewal at this week's meeting. The meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 9, at the Caddo Levee District's main office at 1320 Grimmett Drive in Shreveport. The meeting is open to the public.

What does the property tax mean to you if you own land in the levee district?
A $100,000 home, using homestead exemption, would be taxed $8.03.
A $200,000 home would be taxed $40.13.

That tax would mean an additional revenue of about $900,000 for the Levee District.