Tom Arceneaux

What is your long-term vision for Shreveport?

I want Shreveport to be a safe, well-managed, clean community. I’d like it again to be an All-American City, a designation it last achieved in 1999. I want Shreveporters to be proud of their home, to be ambassadors for it as a place to live, work, play, and raise a family. We can do that if we work together.

What are your recommendations for increasing economic development?

Here are several recommendations: (a) reduce the bureaucracy for getting permits and starting businesses; (b) consult with local businesses to find out what the city can do to help and to get out of the way; (c) work with Louisiana Economic Development department, chambers of commerce, and North Louisiana Economic Partnership to facilitate recruitment of large employers.

Do you think Shreveport should focus on bringing in large businesses or helping small home-grown businesses grow and why?

This is not an either-or issue. We need to be doing both. The city, however, can have greater short-term impact by helping home-grown businesses to grow or get started. We should pay close attention to the businesses and people who are already here. Most large business transactions will start with the state or outside economic development professionals. The city should play a supportive role in those efforts, with the mayor in the lead.

How will you address the problem of violent crime?

Violent crime presents a short-term and a long-term challenge. In the short term, we need as many officers doing direct police work as possible, even if that means using reserve or auxiliary officers or civilians in office positions when possible. In the long term, we must reduce the number of dilapidated buildings and other breeding grounds for crime and develop better relationships with the people in our neighborhoods.

What plans do you have for infrastructure improvements?

Because of federal dollars flowing from COVID relief, as well as improved sales tax collections, the city has millions of dollars that are not allocated for specific items. I plan to use those dollars first to address repairs to streets and drainage systems. Then I will treat the balance like a bond issue, appointing a citizens committee to recommend priorities for more improvement.

How will you approach the budgeting process and what are your priorities?

The budget process is one of my strengths. We must provide basic services with excellence. After that, we must communicate to citizens the honest budget choices by identifying levels of service that would be affected, so citizens can have meaningful input into the choices. When I was on the City Council, the city did that, and I plan to implement a similar process as mayor. We must restore public confidence in the city’s financial management.

Do you propose to add or remove any departments and how will you keep department heads accountable?

I propose to separate the management of public buildings from the provision of parks and recreation services. In addition, I proposed to place the Finance Director (now called a “Chief Financial Officer”) back under the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). The city can implement both proposals without any increase in the city operating budget. 

How do you propose to address population decline in Shreveport?

Once citizens perceive that the city is safe, professionally managed, and well maintained, the attraction of living closer in town will cause the city to grow. I also plan to focus on redevelopment of close-in neighborhoods, particularly historical neighborhoods, to encourage a return to the city.

Do you have a plan to bring in tourism dollars and how?

Shreveport has many great attractions – historical neighborhoods, live music and theater, great restaurants. I plan to be front and center in promoting those attractions in the region, as well as to assist in attracting large groups. Amateur athletic tournaments and events have unrealized potential to draw families to Shreveport for events.

How will you measure your own success?

I plan to set forth a long-term and short-term plan, with measurable objectives, once I am in office. I will measure myself, and my department heads, by achievement of those objectives, which I will publish for citizens to see. Beyond that, I will be able to judge my success by the attitudes and temperaments of Shreveporters. If they are prouder of their city, I will know we have succeeded.

What do you love most about Shreveport?

Shreveport is full of wonderful people of diverse backgrounds and strengths. I love Shreveport because I love her people.

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Levette Fuller

What is your long-term vision for Shreveport?

Shreveport will be a thriving midsized city with an array of career, cultural and community opportunities for all of our citizens. Shreveport will be a safe city that welcomes civic discourse and participation in all facets of municipal, business and cultural development. The city will be resilient and boast a capacity for being data informed and able to pivot quickly to solve problems.

What are your recommendations for increasing economic development?

Our best chance at brighter economic opportunities will come through improving quality of life for current residents by prioritizing public health and safety. We achieve this by improving infrastructure, removing blight, fortifying our law enforcement agencies and working with private partners to help the most vulnerable in our community. In addition to these strategies we must absolutely consider high yield incentives that entice companies into our area while creating consistency in policies and procedures so that any business can easily get to work in our city.

Do you think Shreveport should focus on bringing in large businesses or helping small home-grown businesses grow and why?

I think we have to multitask. If we made it easier for small home-grown businesses to open up, that would mean we streamlined our processes and made them consistent, straightforward, and user friendly. A city that is open to business opportunities at a smaller level that nurtures entrepreneurs is also agile enough to support larger industries that hire our citizens and help us to welcome new residents. It’s time for Shreveport to raise our self-esteem and state firmly that we can have nice things, and our citizens deserve opportunities to grow their businesses on this side of the river with less resistance to new concepts and less rigidity as it pertains to certain arbitrary policies.

How will you address the problem of violent crime?

It’s time to accept that there must be multifaceted approaches to violent crime. A strong response to crime should be a deterrent. We’ve made strides in increasing officer visibility with Chief Smith. Community cooperation on investigations is critical. That requires trust and I think that trust is growing. We’ve been aided a lot by citizens’ willingness to share their security camera footage. I believe we can fine tune the Real Time Crime Center, but that will begin with a policy review of the program. Beyond response we must think about preventing victimization. There are so many community driven tactics that have proven effective through studies across the country. We need to consider some of these strategies to work in tandem with law enforcement. It may be that private partners including the LSU Health Science Center, and Community Foundation of North Louisiana will come to the table to implement these programs with the City’s blessing. Ultimately let’s begin to think about all of the above: the same strategies that will make us fertile ground for new businesses will grow our population and make us safer.

What plans do you have for infrastructure improvements?

Halt sprawl. An organization called Urban3 is currently assessing the revenue productivity of Shreveport block by block. They’re combing every inch of infrastructure and every penny of revenue to determine where we get a return on investment and where we are hemorrhaging tax dollars. These studies tend to show productivity in older, often neglected, and more densely built areas like downtowns and surrounding core neighborhoods. My hypothesis is this is partially the case with Shreveport, and that we need to prioritize those areas for infrastructure improvements. We must repair and revitalize before we build more new infrastructure that induces demand outside of the city limits.

How will you approach the budgeting process and what are your priorities?

I believe Shreveport will benefit from implementing a strategy like outcome-based budgeting. The first step in outcome-based budgeting is setting priorities. If our desire is a safer, cleaner city we prioritize safety and city improvements. While recreation also serves as crime prevention, it may be that certain programs should be reimagined in order to see a savings. It may be that the adjustments are not drastic, but are still meaningful.

Do you propose to add or remove any departments and how will you keep department heads accountable?

It would be hasty to threaten departments without data showing the efficacy and productivity of those departments. With that said, results are a measure of success and accountability set through gauging metrics, productivity, morale, and employee turnover as well as training and transparency. Public service is more than customer service – it’s a calling. We are here to help our community and understanding the work changes lives, that at every level, from front line entry level to senior management is the most important thing to remember every day from the moment your feet hit the floor in the morning.

How do you propose to address population decline in Shreveport?

What makes us safer and more business friendly will help grow our population. Think “better not bigger” and bigger will follow. We need to be lofty and warm and fuzzy occasionally – people want to live in welcoming hospitable places where their neighbors are happy and thriving. Jobs come to places where people want to live. We have to shift our mindset to create a cheerful optimistic disposition about this city. The mayor’s job is to grab the reins and make this city safer, cleaner, and stronger for the current inhabitants so we will feel more optimism and pride.

Do you have a plan to bring in tourism dollars and how?

Let’s capitalize on our rich cultural heritage. Our roots are in music of every genre imaginable and we can’t keep letting opportunities pass us by. It’s more than Leadbelly and Elvis but that’s a great place to start. Let’s support our amazing festivals and give new creatives with great ideas the support they need to create new ways to interact and celebrate our cultural attributes. I’m ready for the Shreveport Civil Rights museum to be open so we can get a better understanding of our own history and reconcile the past.

How will you measure your own success?

Let’s use the hard data on businesses, crime rate, real estate closings in the core and improved neighborhood conditions. We have a lot of work to do. A lot of it may not be the shiny glitzy projects but a boring government is a government working hard to keep itself stable so people have fewer things to think about and can focus on the future for their families.

What do you love most about Shreveport?

I love the people. I’m here to make a difference for everyone because we deserve that hope. People care so much, and love deeply, and have so much passion, but we’ve also been let down often, and are losing hope. I want to bring back that hope. I love the people here. I love how we look out for each other. I want to see us celebrate what we have more than lament what we don’t. 

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Lauren Ray Anderson

What is your long-term vision for Shreveport?

I love this question. My long-term vision for Shreveport is for each neighborhood to thrive and be celebrated. Each neighborhood has its own unique history and character. I would like to see leaders in each neighborhood and community reach out to the rest of Shreveport and the rest of the World and invite us in so that they can share what they have, and we can all share what we have with one another. This can be done with food, music, festivals, events, history tours, etc.. 

What are your recommendations for increasing economic development?

First, we have to end the culture of corruption. Young, talented, energetic, ambitious, and educated people don’t want to do business in a place where they feel they will not be treated fairly and equally. No smart business person does. Once that trust is re-established and the corruption and crooked politics are cleaned up (and maybe even in tandem), we can clean up the systems and procedures already in place that are there to establish a business and allow it to thrive.  

Do you think Shreveport should focus on bringing in large businesses or helping small home-grown businesses grow and why?

I think that we should do both. I believe in America, the free market, and even, to an extent, laissez-faire economics. Personally, I am a “shop local” type of gal. I love speaking directly, coordinating, and networking with local artisans and producers. I think, herein Shreveport, we have everything we need. But, I understand that a lot of people like corporate culture and the potential security that it provides, and that’s fine. A strong economy is DIVERSE. 

How will you address the problem of violent crime?

The majority of the violent crime is committed by young people under the age of twenty-five (25). These people, for the most part, tend to be wayward youth who didn’t have “proper” upbringings. We can’t force “parents” to raise their children properly, but we CAN, as a community, provide programs for abused and neglected children. We can teach them that they can solve their problems with one another withOUT violence. Also, we can teach them WHY it is important to not be involved with the criminal justice system. Children just need to be taught and guided better. 

Also, a lot of the violent crimes are the result of domestic disputes. Once again, we can teach people different methods of problem-solving. We have to provide “safe havens” for victims of domestic abuse, so that they can get the help they need to get away and STAY away from abusive situations. 

What plans do you have for infrastructure improvements?

Infrastructure will be my number one priority. We need to address what is most dire, first, and hire QUALIFIED people to address and repair the issues. This all comes down to a good contract, oversight, and accountability. Once the most dire situations are addressed, we can move on to a viable plan of basic maintenance.  

How will you approach the budgeting process and what are your priorities?

We have to first address what our budget is. We have to examine our income and expenses and cut unnecessary expenses. This might require some re-prioritization. There are people in the City who specialize in this, and I would defer to them, because I don’t have an accounting degree. I’m a lawyer with a degree in the language arts. The process will be transparent, and the public is invited to participate. 

Do you propose to add or remove any departments and how will you keep department heads accountable?

One of the first things that I do will be to fire Terrence Green, who is in charge of Property Standards. I personally have had multiple bad experiences with his lack of leadership; and, during my campaign, I have further seen evidence of his ineptitude and carelessness. He seems to have no problem tending to the more privileged and affluent areas of Shreveport, and he denies basic services to the less privileged areas — it’s just flat out WRONG and disgraceful. 

How do you propose to address population decline in Shreveport?

Once again, end the culture of corruption. It’s the young, educated people who are leaving. My friends and family. They can find true opportunity and acceptance elsewhere. We need to treat people more fairly and show appreciation to their merits and talents. 

Do you have a plan to bring in tourism dollars and how?

Absolutely. I am already talking with people of other cities to bring them HERE while we provide OUR people with knowledge and information on where THEY can go to get away from Shreveport for vacations (everybody needs a break no matter how great your home is). We need to let tourists know that Shreveport is more than casinos, and we can do this by reaching out to them, at their local hotels and AirBnBs, by providing brochures on all that Shreveport has to offer in each and every room. 

How will you measure your own success?

I am an extrovert and also an altruist. Though it often includes a lot of self-sacrifice, I tend to measure my success by how I am able to help others live their best lives.  

What do you love most about Shreveport?

The people! The culture! The scenery! We have a beautiful City. Laissez les bons temps rouler!  

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Tracy Mendels

What is your long-term vision for Shreveport?

I want to see Shreveport come together and begin working as one entity. The potential in the city is amazing and we must tap into it together and stop working against each other. I want to see large and small businesses both thrive. More home ownership. That brings pride to neighborhoods. 

What are your recommendations for increasing economic development?

Economic development will not come until we accomplish the basics like cleaning up the trash, removing blight, fixing the road ways and bringing down crime to a workable level. So, with that said, we must go back to the foundation and fix what can be and then begin building our reputation to attract business. Workforce development, our people need to be trained to also attract businesses. 

Do you think Shreveport should focus on bringing in large businesses or helping small home-grown businesses grow and why?

Small businesses have been the backbone of our city and that showed during Covid. But I also understand we must bring in large companies because we need jobs for all. Losing GM, Libby glass, Exide, Tango trucking and the list goes on, obviously causing the loss of so many jobs and helped to push us into a downward spiral and an economic depression. So both are equally important. 

How will you address the problem of violent crime?

I have to start with replacing the police that started leaving us in 2019 and have continued to this day. It will take years to replace these officers, so we must work together as neighbors and be the eyes and ears for the officers still here. This can be accomplished by Neighborhood Assistance Teams. The real time camera systems and involving more private entities. We must reintroduce the Police and public to each other and rebuild a trust that was lost on both sides. 

What plans do you have for infrastructure improvements?

Put our heads down, get over the “inconvenience” of multiple street closures and start getting the job done. We must have complete oversight, we have to ensure that people are doing their jobs and contractors are fixing “the same or better”. 

How will you approach the budgeting process and what are your priorities?

First and foremost, before we can do anything more than the absolute basics to keep the city running, we must complete a forensic audit of EVERY department. Only then can we really know where we stand. 

Do you propose to add or remove any departments and how will you keep department heads accountable?

At this time I can not make that type of decision until a full forensic audit is done of the city. Once we identify shortfalls, needed upgrades or possibly dissolution of entities any answer is premature. 

How do you propose to address population decline in Shreveport?

With the basics being taken care of (cleanliness, crime and workforce development) we will be more attractive to businesses and that will bring people back to Shreveport. Right now why would anyone want to come here? We have a very bad reputation not only with our high level of shootings, but also due to the fact bringing business here is such an ordeal. 

Do you have a plan to bring in tourism dollars and how?

We are such a mecca in reference to music and art, we must use that as a selling point. We also have very little support concerning the Maverick’s basketball team even though they secured another championship. The Independence Bowl must be a priority along with our Mardi Gras parades. These basic things can help bring in people to our city. How will you measure your own success? By the success of our people. Our poverty rate is way too high for a city with such a low cost of living. When our children succeed, we succeed. 

What do you love most about Shreveport?

That’s easy, the people. No matter what we have gone through, we stand up, brush ourselves off and push forward. Shreveport people are resilient. At our worst, the best comes through. Snow and ice, hurricanes, tornadoes it doesn’t matter, we help each other and ensure our neighbors are taken care of. Many great things have come from our hardships and needs; Geaux bags for foster kids, Shreveport volunteer network, Robinson Rescue, Volunteers for Youth Justice, etc. The list is endless. When a need is seen, we meet it.