SHOULD CITY OF SHREVEPORT, CADDO SCHOOL BOARD AND CADDO COMMISSION COORDINATE AMERICAN RESCUE FUND EXPENDITURES?

No, it’s not a rhetorical question.

The common sense answer in today's slang is “Duh.”

The city of Shreveport is slated to receive $48.2 million, the Caddo Commission $46.6 million and the Caddo School Board $66.3 million.

Collectively, that's over $161 million to be spent in the next two years!

Payments are made in two equal tranches, one this year and then one next year assuming proper expenditure of first funding.

The city, parish and the school board have all received the first moneys this month.

These governing bodies often overlook or fail to recognize many basic facts when it comes to spending public dollars, which will include American Rescue Funds. Some of the most compelling commonalities include the following:

a. the city of Shreveport is in Caddo Parish;

b. the overwhelming majority of Caddo residents live in the city of Shreveport;

c. the majority of Caddo public schools are in the city of Shreveport;

d. the overwhelming majority of Caddo public school students live in the city of Shreveport;

e. Caddo public school students travel on city and parish roads, many of which are substandard for travel, especially for school buses;

f. many citizens in the parish, both inside and outside the city of Shreveport, lack access to affordable high speed internet.

g, high-speed internet is basic to quality of life, education and economic development.

These three governmental entities generally operate in silos, with limited funding of overlapping projects.

There are exceptions, of course, such as the purchase by the commission of patrol cars for the Shreveport Police Department and some joint education programs.

The American Rescue Fund is the largest direct infusion of federal funds in local governments in history. It has the potential to bring about lasting change and improve the lives of Caddo Parish residents that live both in and out of the Shreveport city limits.

The National League of Cities (NLC) and the National Association of Counties (NACO) are currently developing resources for municipal and parish leaders to highlight how they can work together and invest these funds to ensure economic benefit for all residents.

So why now have this effort locally?

The Caddo School Board, the city of Shreveport and Caddo Parish should consider forming a group think tank to plan how to maximize these once in a lifetime federal dollars.

Good roads in the parish benefit all parish residents, no matter where they live or work

The same is true with high-speed, reasonably priced internet to eliminate the digital divide.

Quality education brings better jobs to the workforce throughout the parish.

The list goes on and on.

But the willingness of the separate government kingdoms to share the Santa Claus funding is not so certain. But it should be.