Columns & Opinions

All three local sales tax receipts rose in November over 2021 collections. The city of Shreveport had a modest 2% jump with its $12,825,170 tally. It's a strong 6.9% increase for the year at $144,351,725. The city's monthly average of $13,122,884 is by far its highest ever sales tax. Its sales tax rate is 2.75%.

Choose a Mayor?

Several years ago, while standing in the line at one of the local grocery stores, an elderly young lady was having a hard time finding her purse. She had misplaced it or had left it at home, which, I am sure, many of us have done. I told the cashier that I would take care of it and that everything was good. The lady, who by now was telling me her life story, was very grateful.

Settle Talk

Today in Shreveport, Democrat voters find themselves facing a political dynamic that it has not seen in almost 20 years. They could very well be looking at a Republican being elected mayor of a majority Democrat city, which would be ironic.

Most of you know that I spend a good deal of time trying to redevelop Cedar Grove, and by my actions one could assume that I resided there a lifetime, but only four years of my K-12 years were spent there, as we lived in a number of neighborhoods. Some might take offense to such nomadic activity, but it prepared me to be able to meet new people and adjust to new situations and was pretty helpful once I enlisted in the U.S.A,F. Although technically I lived in AIIendale (Calcotte Alley) up near Cahn Electric, I attended schools (west Shreveport, J.S. Clark, Central) in Lakeside. Coming from Pelican, La., I thought the people in Lakeside were the very best of what Shreveport had to offer African Americans, a lively business community, Booker T. Washington H.S., and a thriving professional class. And once they built Lakeside Acres, you knew they were headed for grandeur. I say African American, but Lakeside had many cultures, with a large contingency of Creoles.

In just over two weeks, Shreveport citizens will find out who will serve the next four years as their mayor.Turnout for the primary election this month was lower than four years ago. We’re not excited about these candidates. We seem to be in a period of one-term mayors that I believe will last 20 years.

KEY PERSONNEL SELECTIONS BY MAYOR ADRIAN PERKINS REFLECTIVE OF HIS LEADERSHIP