House bill 667 has sparked a controversy across our community. The measure amends an earlier law which set up a Redevelopment Board with 9 members. State Representative Cedric Glover wanted to make some changes to make it easier to set up this board and get things moving.

He won passage of a bill calling for a 5 member board with 3 of those members appointed by the Mayor of Shreveport. Another member would be appointed by the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce and the 5th by the African American Chamber of Commerce.

The big furor has to do with the authority this board would have. The panel could call elections to increase property taxes.

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State Representative Thomas Carmody tells KEEL News Glover "pushed this matter up on the agenda when he knew me and Alan Seabaugh would be out of the House Chamber."  It won approval on a vote of 71-3.

The only "no" votes came from Raymond Crews, Dodie Horton and Scott Simon.

Sam Jenkins, Kenny Cox, Barbara Norton, Marcus Hunter, Vincent Pierre and Patrick Jefferson signed on as co-sponsors.

 

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