Shreveport Considers Using Amazon Data Center Revenue to Fund City Employee Raises
Shreveport officials are considering using building permit revenue from Amazon Web Services data center construction to fund pay raises for police, firefighters and other city employees. The projects, including campuses in Caddo Parish and Resilient Technology Park, could generate millions in permit fees and represent an $18 billion regional investment by Amazon and Stack Infrastructure.
Shreveport city officials are developing a plan to use revenue from major data center construction projects to support employee pay increases. Chief Administrative Officer Tom Dark said the city wants to use near-term building permit fees to provide raises while creating a sustainable funding source after the construction boom ends.
The proposal would cover police officers, firefighters and roughly 400 classified employees, with a possible cost-of-living increase for all city workers. Officials estimate the raises would add $8 million to $9 million to the payroll. One Caddo Parish campus is expected to generate about $10 million in permit fees, while the Resilient Technology Park campus could generate as much as $19 million, though the city is budgeting conservatively because construction schedules remain uncertain.
Future sales taxes, property taxes and electric utility franchise fees could help maintain the raises. Amazon and Stack Infrastructure say their data center projects represent an $18 billion investment in the region, with construction expected to continue for several years.