WHY IS DDA ONLY PAYING 12.5% OF COST FOR DOWNTOWN ACTION PLAN

The kickoff luncheon for the City of Shreveport—Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to develop a Five-Year Action Plan for Downtown Shreveport was last Wednesday (Aug. 12.)
 
The City and DDA have partnered with the Downtown Strategies group to develop what will be the latest study to resurrect downtown Shreveport (yawn.)
 
The hype on this new circus is that “instead of brainstorming everything we could do, their bite-sized plan will identity practical small-scale strategies for what we should do to see immediate impact.”
 
The meeting started with a power point presentation that showed how a downtown could look “vibrant” by fixing sidewalks, adding planters and benches, sidewalk dress racks and sandwich boards which are steps that ALEADY been implemented on Texas Street. (yawn again).
 
The big question that was NOT discussed is the payment for this venture. The City and DDA have signed a three-year contract for $40,000 a year, with the City picking up 35 grand of the yearly total and DDA contributing 5 grand yearly.
 
What’s wrong with this picture?
 
Isn’t the function of DDA to develop downtown?
 
Is this effort spurred by November 3 votes—for mayor and for renewal of the 25-year DDA ad valorem tax renewal?
 
A future Settle Talk will delve into the merits of the meeting.

YESTERDAY'S DOWNTOWN STRATEGIES STAKEHOLDER INPUT SESION POWERPOINT PRESENTATION