KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana |Bossier City residents speak out about budget crunch

Bossier City residents speak out about budget crunch

By Ben Wolf – bio|email

BOSSIER CITY, LA (KSLA) – About 60 police and fire jobs are on the chopping block in Bossier City right now.

You don't have to look far to find people who are frustrated about it.

Most of the Bossier City taxpayers who stood before the council today didn't hold back, letting out their frustrations about why the budget got to this point in the first place and what the city needs to do to fix it.

The Bossier City council chambers were packed for one reason: Mayor Lo Walker's budget proposal that calls for the elimination of about 60 police and fire jobs.

Many people walked up to the microphone without hesitation.

“If the tornado and the flooding wasn't a good indication of what kind of fire and police personnel we have, then I don't know what is,” said Bossier City resident Randy Harper.

"We're willing to do whatever it takes to keep them and that's basically what I wanted to say,” said another taxpayer.

Hours later, right around the corner from Bossier City fire station no. 4, KSLA News 12 found Ron Rivera cleaning up after dinner.

 “I don't think sometimes the meetings really do any good.  I think sometimes the hierarchy political big boys--they come to these decisions and they don't really care how we feel,” said Rivera.

Rivera sees the fire truck go in and out of station number four almost every day.

The Bossier City homeowner is concerned about his insurance rates going up since the city would most likely lose its class one fire status.

Also, he isn't necessarily worried about the proposed lay-offs affecting him if he had an emergency; but he says others who live further from a station might not be so lucky.

“I feel comfortable in Bossier now.  I don't know what's going to happen in a year or two,” he said.

Bossier City fire officials say they don't know how the proposed cuts would affect service, but tell KSLA News 12 Bossier City will provide the best service possible to its citizens.

Residents will be able to speak out in three more public meetings beginning next Tuesday at 3 p.m. at the Bossier Civic Center.

Two Bossier City council members say they have a budget proposal that could save half of the police and fire jobs from the chopping block.

David Montgomery Jr. announced he and Don Williams will offer it next week.

Montgomery says by cutting certain expenses and other city jobs they could save some public safety positions.

Some people clapped when he made the announcement while others said it's still not enough.

©2009 KSLA-TV. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.