Property debate rages over Confederate monument

SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) - Even after the flag and flagpole of a Caddo Parish Confederate monument are removed from the courthouse square, a debate remains over who actually has ownership of the land on which the flag flew. The Daughters of the Confederacy, which built the monument in the early twentieth century, say the land was given to them in a June 18, 1903 meeting of the Caddo Parish Police Jury.

The Caddo Parish Commission voted Thursday to remove the flag from the courthouse square on the basis that the parish actually own the entire block. The Caddo Parish Tax Assessor agreed with that fact.

Randy Passaniti, Director of the Land Ownership Division of the Caddo Parish Tax Assessor's office, said Friday that according to the tax records dating back to 1918, The Daughters of the Confederacy have never paid tax money on the property. Passaniti said no taxes have been paid on that land because it is parish-owned, and therefore tax exempt. Results of an online search of the Assessor's database also show the entire block is owned by the parish.

KSLA News 12 requested the minutes to the 1903 Police Jury meeting in which ownership was supposedly given to the Daughters of the Confederacy. The records read as follows:

"The rules were suspended and Mr. W. H. Wise on behalf of the Daughters of the Confederacy made an earnest appeal for an appropriation of $1000.00 for the Confederate monument, at the same time requesting that the monument association be given the front plat or portion of the Court House square as a site for the monument. Moved by J. S. Young that the $1000.00 be allowed and the front plot of the Court House square be reserved for that purpose, which motion was unanimously adopted."

Read the entire minutes to that 1903 meeting here.

Related stories:

• Confederate flag comes down Friday
• Confederate flag removed from Caddo Courthouse overnight

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