SHREVEPORT, La. — Mayor Tom Arceneaux is proposing a temporary 2% surcharge on water and sewer bills to fund the demolition of large, abandoned apartment complexes and commercial buildings that have become dangerous eyesores across Shreveport.

The proposal, included in Arceneaux’s 2026 budget, would last 18 months and automatically expire after that period. It must be approved by the Shreveport City Council before taking effect.

“These properties are a drain on our neighborhoods, a risk to public safety, and a symbol of disinvestment,” Arceneaux said. “We’ve exhausted every legal and financial option. This proposal is about finally doing something to clean them up.”

City officials estimate the program would generate about $3 million — $2 million in 2026 and another $1 million in early 2

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