By: Ken Krefft • Contributing Columnist
The six major sales and use tax jurisdictions all saw a downturn in their receipts for April 2024, i.e., sales that took place during March. Two Bossier agencies had a double digit % loss. Following are the stats for the six.
The City of Shreveport's levies a 2.75% sales and use tax rate. It garnered $13,771,767, $1,031,299 below 2023, and a 7.0% decrease. It represents the biggest month-over-month reduction in 5 years. The 4-month total $54,275,162 is $1,273,860 less than 2023, down 2.3% YTD. The city's fiscal year is the calendar year.
The Caddo Parish School Board levies a 1.5% sales and use tax. Its calendar year is July 1 thru June 30, like all school boards. It deposited $9,187,549 in its 10th fiscal month, a fiscal year sum of $90,231,251. This 10-month drop of $1,845,146 is a minus 2.0%.
The Law Enforcement District of Caddo 0.35% rate brought in $2,139,072 last month, a $228,732 drop and a 9.7% dip. Its 4-month YTD sum, $8,341,363, is $478,683 less than 2023. This is a 5.4% decline.
The Bossier Parish School Board's $6,314,828 for its 10th fiscal month is $837,593 behind last April. This is an 11.7% reduction. Its fiscal YTD sum of $62,683,394 is $2,163,532 and 3.3% below 2023.
Bossier City-Parish generated sales tax revenues of $5,999,611 in April, a $531,608 and 8.1% drop. Its 4-month calendar/fiscal YTD sum, $23,036,794, is $1,964,814 below 2023, and a 7.9% decrease.
Lastly, the Bossier Parish Police Jury fared worst among these half dozen entities. Its collection of $1,397,546 is $394,726 below 2023, a huge drop of 23.2%. It's the largest monthly % decline for a NW LA governmental body in many, many years. Its 4-month fiscal sum of $5,652,391 is $975,650 less than a year back, and it is a 14.7% decrease.
Many thanks, gents. Might be time to tighten belts.