Previous solutions include asking voters to approve new property taxes, broadening the authorized use of existing tax money, moving financial resources between funds and dipping into reserves.
A couple years ago, voters authorized redirecting certain tax revenues from their original purpose to cover criminal justice costs but they also rejected a separate measure requesting new property taxes.
Parish Administrator Erica Bryant informed commissioners on Thursday that her proposed 2027 budget includes a $12.9 million operating deficit to support criminal justice operations.
That shortfall is expected to be offset by transfers from the criminal justice fund – a fund dedicated to subsidizing operating deficits – and use of accumulated fund balances.
Caddo Commission Administrator Erica Bryant presents the 2027 proposed budget at the Oct. 29 special meeting.
“We have a criminal justice fund that’s sole purpose is to make transfers to the funds that have criminal justice expenses,” Bryant said. “If we continue to experience these operating deficits, at some point we will need to have additional revenues.”
Criminal justice expenses are projected to increase by 6%, or $2.1 million. Last year, the parish spent a combined total of about $35.1 million, compared to projected spending of $37.2 million this year, according to parish budgets.
Bryant said the shortfalls in three of their criminal justice operating budgets account for the $12.9 million shortfall.
“Our criminal justice, as we talked about, we continue to have operating deficits in our funds that have significant criminal justice expenses,” Bryant said. “That’s our juvenile justice, our detention facility fund and our general fund.”
The general fund – which includes the district court and district attorney’s office – has a $5.5 million operating deficit, juvenile justice $4.5 million and detention facilities $2.9 million.
“So just to remind you, years ago we did a rededication, and we rededicated portions of our property tax millage towards criminal justice, and that’s what has allowed us to address the criminal justice challenges that we have,” Bryant said.
According to parish records, ad valorem taxes are levied to support detention facilities, juvenile court operations and courthouse maintenance, while portions of other levies – including public works, biomedical research and library – have been rededicated or authorized to support criminal justice costs.
“Almost a third of our total budget goes towards our criminal justice costs, which most of those are statutory requirements,” Bryant said. “As we’ve discussed in previous years, this continues to be one of … the biggest challenges that we have.”
Source: www.ktbs.com
