Shreveport sales tax revenue rises, still short of budget target

(The Center Square) – Shreveport sales tax revenue is outpacing last year’s collections but still below the city’s projected increase for its current budget cycle.

The city’s 2026 budget includes a projected 2% sales tax increase. The city collected approximately $166.5 million last year. They’re expecting to surpass that figure by about $3.3 million by year’s end.

Sales tax is the largest single revenue source for the city’s general fund budget, which pays for things like public safety, public works, citywide payroll and various equipment.

Shreveport’s local tax rate is 4.6%, which, combined with the state’s 5%, results in a 9.6% sales tax – one of the highest in the nation, according to the Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based research organization. Nationwide, the average combined sales tax rate is 7.53%.

January and February sales tax collections are up by $338,717– or about 1.3% – over the previous year. During those two months, the city collected $25.6 million, accor...