KSLA has one-on-one with Mayor Perkins about Shreveport bond proposal

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - In December, Shreveport voters will decide whether to approve a $236 million bond proposal to address infrastructure and public safety issues.

On Tuesday, Nov. 23, KSLA talked with Mayor Adrian Perkins one-on-one to discuss the bond proposal, specifically, Proposition 3, which proposes about $64.7 million to go towards water, sewer, and drainage.

This topic was of specific concern during the February 2021 winter storm, which left many in Texas and Louisiana without power and water for nearly two weeks.

“What happened last February, we cannot have that happen again,” Mayor Perkins said. “Some citizens went without water for 11, 12 days. That’s just unacceptable. We have to make these necessary investments into our water and sewer system so that never happens again and we can mitigate the time we’re without water. It’s just too vital.”

Some citizens have voiced concerns, saying the bond will force future generations to pay for it. Others are skeptical since the state has received federal dollars for COVID-19 assistance programs (and more are on the way) since the bipartisan infrastructure bill passed.

“We have billions of dollars of cost... all those federal dollars on top of the dollars from this bond proposal is millions, and it goes into hundreds of millions. It’s still not enough to get us across the finish line,” Mayor Perkins said.

In 2019, voters shot down a similar bond proposal.

Here’s a breakdown of Proposition 3:

• Purchase of floodplain properties: $2 million
• Floodplain management plan: $2 million
• Drainage improvement: $22 million
• Sanitary sewer improvements: $29 million
• Twelve Mile Bayou raw water main improvements: $4 million
• Amiss WTR Tran piping and valve replacement $3 million

For a breakdown of all five propositions, click here.

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