(The Center Square) — Caddo Parish’s 2025 budget addresses a serious issue in the parish, a declining population, and its potential impact on criminal justice issues. 

According to the 2025 budget, Caddo Parish population has decreased by 7% in the last 15 years. This decline is largely made up of younger individuals and families. 

Due to the population decline, hiring struggles have become an issue, and fewer homes are being built with less business development. With a declining population, tax revenue is also being affected.  

“Tax revenue is not growing at the same rate as expenditures, which indicates that, at some point, expenditures will exceed available revenues,” said the budget. 

In 2023, the population of Caddo Parish was 233,000. Data USA says this is a decline from the previous year of about 1.39%. The population dropped from 236,259 to 232,973 from 2022 to 2023. In a recent report from The Center Square, Caddo Parish saw a decrease of more than 11,000 people in the past three years. 

Apart from the population dropping in the parish and affecting revenues, criminal justice plays a significant role in the 2025 budget as well.

According to the budget plan, criminal justice expenditures are around 25%.  The parish report says that the budget includes a $4.7 million operating deficit in the Juvenile Justice Fund, a $1.5 million operating deficit in the Detention Facilities Fund, and a $4.8 million operating deficit in the General Fund. The deficits are due to cost increases for juvenile services, the Caddo Correctional Center, the district attorney’s Office, and the district court. 

Despite a declining population and increase in juvenile costs, the budget accounts for a rise in property tax revenue from the previous year. Property tax revenue is estimated to increase from $51.7 million in 2024 to $58.7 million, a 13.45% increase.  

Sales taxes were also budgeted to increase from $1.1 million to $16 million in 2025. The increase is reportedly due to inflation and increased construction. 

The parish estimates expenditures for the year to be around $145.5 million.

Emilee Ruth Calametti currently serves as Staff Reporter for The Center Square covering the Northwestern Louisiana region. She holds her M.A. in English from Georgia State University and an additional M.A. in Journalism from New York University. Her articles have been featured in DIG Magazine, Houstonia Magazine, Bookstr, inRegister, EntertainmentNOW, AOL, MSN, and more. She is a Louisiana native with over seven years of journalism experience.