Quick take
- The City Council voted 7-0 on Tue., Oct. 27, for 6% raises for police and fire, effective Dec. 1, KTBS and KSLA reported.
- Chief Administrative Officer Tom Dark said a proposed 3% raise for roughly 1,000 other city employees will move from March to Jan. 1, KTBS reported. KSLA reported the council will vote on those raises at its next meeting.
- Moving it up costs about $180,000 for the rest of 2026 and $360,000 in 2027, paid for under the proposed 2027 budget, according to KTBS.
- A separate 2% increase for police and fire, plus pay parity adjustments, is slated for January, KTBS reported.
- The council must approve the 2027 budget by Dec. 15.
Shreveport police officers and firefighters will get a 6% raise starting Dec. 1. The City Council approved it 7-0 at its meeting Tuesday, Oct. 27, KTBS reported. KSLA also reported the vote.
Other city workers
On Monday, some council members said other city employees should not have to wait longer than police and fire for a raise. Mayor Tom Arceneaux told the council Tuesday, “We’re in agreement with you. We found a way to do that,” according to KTBS.
Chief Administrative Officer Tom Dark said a proposed 3% raise for roughly 1,000 other city employees will move from March to Jan. 1. KTBS reported that the earlier start costs about $180,000 for the rest of 2026 and $360,000 in 2027, and is covered under the proposed 2027 budget. “The accelerated timetable will present a challenge to our HR and payroll staffs,” Dark said. “But they have assured me that it can be done.”
KSLA reported that council leaders said the council will vote on the other employees’ raises at its next meeting.
The 1,000 figure is separate from a group of more than 400 workers. Before the vote, Dark said the plan has two pieces for classified employees, 710 KEEL reported: pay adjustments starting Jan. 1 for more than 400 workers a city pay study found were the most underpaid, and the 3% raise for all other classified workers, then set for March 1. KSLA reported those adjustments average 4% to 8%.
More for police and fire in January
A separate 2% increase for police and fire, along with pay parity adjustments, is slated for January, according to KTBS.
What’s next
The council must adopt the 2027 budget by Dec. 15. For the numbers in the mayor’s plan, see our story on Shreveport’s proposed 2027 General Fund.