Councilman Says This Vote on Police, Fire Bond $$$ is 'Critical'

Shreveport Councilman John Nickelson talks about his support for Proposition 1 of this weekend's bond proposal vote.

Why is he urging a 'yes' vote?

The District C rep says the bond vote, coming up Saturday, says, "I'll just say, as I've said to everyone who asked me over the past several months, it's absolutely critical that voters support Proposition 1.

"I am arm-in-arm with the mayor on this issue so we can get our police officers a new station and fire fighters a new station and improvements (to others) that they need very badly."

But is the $27 million even close to enough?

But is the $27 million allocated in Prop 1 enough to cover the cost of a new SPD facility? Nickelson responds to critics who say it is not nearly enough. "Proposition 1, if approved, will authorize the city to bond as much as $70.65 million for the specific purpose of providing equipment and property to fire and police. There is...a proposed price tag for the police station, but that's not set in stone. It's entirely that the cost of the police station itself may be a bot more than that. But I do know...that if we don't pass Proposition 1 our police officers will continue to show up every day for work at a station that is in really deplorable condition in parts."

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Nickelson says the cost is small, especially for the benefit

And what about other controversial allocations like $4.5 million for police sub-stations? Is that untouchable? "It can be tweaked down the road. I have learned well, in local government, the perfect cannot be the enemy of the good. Passing Proposition 1 will move the ball forward for police and fire and the cost...is very small. And the benefit will be felt citywide and most of all by the officers and firefighters who...risk their lives for all of us everyday."