The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury’s budget committee presented a proposed 2026 police jury budget of $379,600,000 and recommended related appropriations at its Nov. 20 meeting. Andrew Pont, budget committee chair, told the jury the figure represents a 7.9% increase over the 2025 amended budget of $351,600,000, and said disaster recovery and capital projects account for most of the increase.

"The proposed police jury budget for 2026 is 379,600,000.0, which is an increase of 7.9% compared to 2025 amended budget of 351,600,000.0," Andrew Pont said during the committee report. Pont said the committee recommended $65,000 for a Ward 1 community center and playground district and funding for playability enhancements, including a scoreboard for local baseball and softball fields.

Parish Administrator Dane Bolen presented the proposed budget to the committee; Pont said the document includes two notable changes: presenting an amended budget within the budget document and restructuring capital and operating funds in the engineering and public works division to promote fiscal transparency and accuracy. Revenues from sales tax, property tax and gaming proceeds were described in the report as steady and conservatively budgeted for 2026.

Pont said the operating portion of the budget rises by 2.6%, reflecting wage adjustments and other operational costs. The budget committee scheduled a public hearing on the proposed 2026 budget for Thursday, Dec. 4, at 5 p.m. to receive public comment and input.

The jury voted to accept the committee’s recommendations and to place the budget for public hearing; no recorded roll-call vote totals for the budget were given in the public transcript.