(The Center Square) — While some city officials are earning nearly $200,000 a year in Shreveport, government official salaries are a bit lower across the Red River in Bossier City despite the median household income being much greater.
A census report showed the 2023 median household income for Bossier City was $55,130 — about $7,000 higher than Shreveport.
From payroll records obtained by government watchdog Open the Books, and provided to Center Square, the highest salary in Bossier City is a little over $174,000, with the next highest being almost $129,000.
In comparison, the top Shreveport salaries for city officials ranged from $159,000 to $199,000.
The top salaries for city officials in Bossier for 2023 consisted of Bossier Fire Chief Brad Zagone at $174,009, Assistant Chief EMS Jeffrey Watson at $128,929, City Attorney Charles Jacobs at $121,670, and the Chief of Information at Bossier Fire Department Jeffrey Scott at $117,773.
Bossier City Mayor Tommy Chandler received a reported salary of $94,755 in 2023.
The Bossier City Council received salaries between $10,000 to $11,000 in 2023, according to Open the Books. The highest paid councilmember was Jeff Darby at $11,423. Jeff Free received $11,376, and David Montgomery, Don Williams, Vince Maggio, Brian Hammons and Chris Smith each received $10,799.
Given the median household income in Bossier City is roughly $7,000 higher than in Shreveport, it is little surprise that public safety workers get paid a bit more in the area.
Police officers and firefighters make, on average, $42,000 a year, which is $3,000 more than officers in Shreveport and $5,000 more than firefighters in Shreveport.
With salaries ranging a bit higher in Bossier City, the gap between government officials and department leadership is smaller compared to Shreveport where some salaries show $140,000 or more difference between officers and leadership.
Bossier City's population in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, was slightly less than 68,000 with a poverty level of 20%.
According to data on Louisiana employment from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 27,900 of the jobs in the Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area are government jobs, or 16.7%.
