The Bossier Parish School Board seems to have, at least temporarily, discarded its tin ear, perhaps coming to understand a series of questionable policy decisions have led to its adding another to its undistinguished record might have electoral consequences.
Earlier this year, the Board advertised that it would entertain rolling forward millage property tax rates levied by the Bossier Parish School District. During presidential election years in Louisiana parish tax assessors reassess property, but the Constitution mandates that the difference in values for property held and not improved throughout the period not increase the total amount of taxes paid for that group, meaning millage rates would be adjusted automatically unless a two-thirds majority wished not to do so, effectively raising taxes since that aggregate value had increased over the time period.
As published, it would have been more than a $4.2 million increase, or nearly 6 percent. Despite declining enrollments, costs have escalated because unfunded pension demands and post-employment benefits have skyrocketed over the past few years. Worse, BPSD already has one of the highest property tax rates of local education agencies in the state, so Bossier property owners have been hit harder than almost any others in the state.
