BOSSIER CITY, La. — Bossier City Council members will begin reviewing the city’s proposed 2027 operating and capital budgets Tuesday, including an $85.8 million General Fund spending plan that calls for drawing approximately $1.88 million from reserves.
The budget workshop is scheduled immediately following the City Council’s 3 p.m. regular meeting Tuesday, Sept. 22. The proposed spending plan remains in draft form and will be subject to Council review before final adoption.
Under the proposed budget, General Fund expenditures and transfers would total approximately $85.81 million in 2027, an increase of about 3.7 percent from the 2026 budget.
The city projects approximately $83.92 million in General Fund revenues and transfers, leaving a roughly $1.88 million gap that would be covered through existing fund balance.
That represents a shift from the city’s current projection for 2026. Bossier City estimates the General Fund will finish the current year with a surplus of approximately $2.27 million. The proposed 2027 budget would reduce General Fund balance from an estimated $65.54 million at the beginning of the year to approximately $63.66 million by year-end.
The proposed use of reserves comes even as the city anticipates higher sales tax collections.
General Fund sales tax revenue is budgeted at approximately $38.34 million for 2027, compared with $36.2 million in the original 2026 budget. Sales taxes remain a major source of funding across city operations, supporting the General Fund as well as fire improvements, municipal buildings, streets and drainage and capital projects.
Public safety represents a substantial portion of proposed General Fund spending. The draft includes approximately $29.6 million for the Police Department and $21.7 million for the Fire Department.
The proposed budget also contains several notable changes outside the General Fund.
Spending for the Bossier City-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission would increase from approximately $1.36 million to $2.07 million, a 52 percent increase. The MPC budget would also draw approximately $1.17 million from its fund balance under the current proposal.
The increase comes as the MPC is undertaking a comprehensive update of Bossier City’s comprehensive plan and development regulations.
Risk Management spending is proposed at approximately $8.08 million, up 22 percent, while Sanitation spending would increase nearly 12 percent to approximately $7.07 million. Emergency Medical Services expenditures are proposed at approximately $10.81 million, an increase of about 6 percent.
The proposed capital budget includes several significant equipment purchases.
Approximately $1.24 million is proposed for police vehicles, along with $140,000 for police computer equipment and $116,625 for bulletproof vests. Fire Department capital expenditures include approximately $1.8 million for vehicles and $525,000 for other equipment.
The Streets and Drainage Fund shows a significant year-over-year decline in budgeted expenditures, from approximately $5.8 million in 2026 to $1.7 million in 2027. The proposed 2027 amount includes $1 million for unplanned street and drainage work and $700,000 for stormwater drainage. The change appears largely related to the timing and budgeting of individual capital projects rather than a comparable reduction in dedicated revenues.
The city’s Hotel/Motel Tax Fund also contains several notable proposed expenditures, including $200,000 for Red River Fest and approximately $404,775 for arena equipment.
Citywide staffing would remain relatively stable. The proposed budget calls for 735 positions, compared with 732 budgeted positions in 2026, with additions in the General Fund, Metropolitan Planning Commission and Consolidated Sales Tax operations.Tuesday’s workshop is the first Council review of the proposed 2027 operating and capital budgets. The Council can make changes as the budget moves through the process before final adoption later this year.