Letter from Councilmember Cantrell
  October 26, 2016  

District "B" Councilmember LaToya Cantrell    
Today, the New Orleans City Council began its review of the Mayor's proposed budget for 2017. Your input and feedback are vital in ensuring that this budget is responsive to the needs of its citizens and moves the city forward.

In my budget priorities letter to the Mayor, I called for a renewed focus on housing, public health, and public safety via an investment in people and technology. I am encouraged by the inclusion of my previous requests in the proposed 2017 budget, which will allow for increased funding for New Orleans' Emergency Medical Services to improve response time, as well as funding for the acquisition and maintenance of license plate readers for the New Orleans Police Department in order to help identify and catch criminals. However, I am concerned about some of the budget changes proposed.

The expansion of the use of traffic cameras in order to raise additional revenue is one area of concern. While I understand the need to raise more funds to fulfill the city's needs, I have serious reservations about expanding a system of fines and fees that can have a disproportionate effect on the city's poor. Furthermore, through my work creating the School Transportation Safety Working Group, which resulted in a grant funded Safe Routes to Schools office within the City Health Department, I believe that we can improve traffic safety without resorting to additional traffic cameras. Exploring other evidence-based traffic calming practices should be considered.

Although the School Transportation Safety Working Group recommended allowing for traffic cameras on school busses, additional stationary cameras as proposed in this budget were not recommended by this working group. Rather than increasing the presence of traffic cameras, I believe we should instead focus on continuing to ensure that our school zone lights are properly operating. Although there has been real improvement in this area over the last two years, currently 20% of the lights are still not functioning, and we should focus on fixing those lights as soon as possible.

I am also troubled by the reduced budget proposed for the Council on Aging. While the state has provided the Council on Aging with additional funding, the city needs to maintain its funding of the Council on Aging in order for it to continue to provide vital services to our elderly.

As the City Council begins to provide an in-depth look in to the Mayor's proposed 2017 budget, I encourage you to do the same by reviewing the 2017 proposal at http://www.nola.gov/mayor/budget/ and providing feedback on how you believe this budget could be improved to meet the needs of our people. These budget hearings are open to the public, but if you are unable to attend, they will also be live streamed on the City Council's website. To date, you can find the most recent schedule of budget hearings below (please note that this schedule is subject to change):

Day 2 - THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
* FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL PLAN & CAPITAL BUDGET
* DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
* PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
* MUNICIPAL YACHT HARBOR CORP.

Day 3 - FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
* POLICE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE PENSION
* MISC. - NOPD CONSENT DECREE COMPLIANCE
* MISC. - OFFICE OF POLICE SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT
* HEALTH EMS (DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH to be heard, Nov. 7th)
* ORLEANS PARISH COMMUNICATION DISTRICT

Day 4 - MONDAY, OCTOBER 31
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
* MUNICIPAL COURT
* TRAFFIC COURT
* CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURT
* CLERK OF CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURT
* HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT/ YOUTH STUDY CENTER
* FIRE DEPARTMENT and FIRE PENSION

Day 5 - TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
* FINANCE DEPARTMENT
* CITY PLANNING COMMISSION
* HISTORIC DISTRICT LANDMARKS COMMISSION
* VIEUX CARRE COMMISSION
* FRENCH MARKET CORPORATION
* DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT
* ALGIERS DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT
* FRENCH QUARTER IMPROVEMENT FUND

Day 6 - WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2
11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. *** (please note that hearings commence at 11:00)***
* MAYOR'S OFFICE 
o MAYOR'S OFFICE - CORE (including WISNER FUND) 
o OFFICE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATION & NOLA FOR LIFE
o MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
o NOLA BUSINESS ALLIANCE
o MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY
o MAYOR'S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
o OFFICE OF CODE ENFORCEMENT
* NEW ORLEANS REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
* N.O. AVIATION BOARD

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3
***There are no scheduled hearings due to the Regular Council Meeting***

Day 7 - FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
* NEW ORLEANS TOURISM & MARKETING CORPORATION - Presentation of Tourism Promotion Program
* MISCELLANEOUS - MUNICIPAL PARTICIPATION IN CIVIC AFFAIRS 
o New Orleans Council on Aging
o Total Community Action
* REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY
* PUBLIC LIBRARY
* PARKS AND PARKWAYS DEPARTMENT
* MOSQUITO, TERMITE & RODENT CONTROL
* SANITATION DEPARTMENT
* REGISTRAR OF VOTERS

Day 8 - MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
* MISC - NEW ORLEANS RECREATION DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (NORDC)
* HEALTH DEPARTMENT (HEALTH EMS to be heard, OCT. 28th)
* SAFETY & PERMITS DEPARTMENT
* NEW ORLEANS BUILDING CORP.
* CANAL STREET DEVELOPMENT CORP.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8
***There are no scheduled hearings due to Election Day***

Day 9 - WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
* JUVENILE COURT
* NEW ORLEANS MUSEUM OF ART
* MISCELLANEOUS - MUNICIPAL PARTICIPARTION IN CIVIC AFFAIRS
(Presentation of Municipal Participation budgets are to be given by Chief Administrative Office; individual grant recipients may participate in public comment period.)
o Arts Council of New Orleans
o New Orleans Council on Aging (to be heard on Nov. 4th)
o Louisiana S.P.C.A
o LSU Ag Center and Southern Ag Center
o Total Community Action (to be heard on Nov. 4th)
o Evacuteer
o Orleans Parish Public Defender (to be heard on Nov. 11th)
o Essence Music Festival
o Mayor's Military Advisory Committee
o Orleans Parish Veterans Affairs (Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs)
o Regional Planning Commission

Day 10 - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10

10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
* CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE - 
o BUDGET OFFICE 
o EMPLOYEE & LABOR RELATIONS
o EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE DIVISION
o INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
* MISCELLANEOUS CAO - 
o MISC. - OFFICE OF PERFORMANCE & ACCOUNTABILITY 
o MISC. - SERVICE & INNOVATION
o MISC. - RISK MANAGEMENT/ WORKERS' COMPENSATION


 

Day 11 - FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
 

* DISTRICT ATTORNEY
* ORLEANS PARISH PUBLIC DEFENDERS OFFICE
* ORLEANS PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE


MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
AS NEEDED FOR BUDGET COMMITTEE

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
AS NEEDED FOR BUDGET COMMITTEE

 

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
AS NEEDED FOR BUDGET COMMITTEE

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17
ADOPT BUDGET


Office Contact: 
Anna Nguyen
Communications Director 
Councilmember LaToya Cantrell, District "B"
504.658.1022

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New Orleans City Council 

The New Orleans City Council is the legislative branch of New Orleans city government. The Council considers and enacts all local laws that govern the City of New Orleans. The Council also approves the operating and capital budgets for the City, as recommended by the mayor, and continually monitors revenues and expenditures for local government operations. The City Council is also the regulatory body for public utilities. It also reviews and has final say on many land use and zoning matters, as well as considers major economic development projects for the City. As a Board of Review for Orleans Parish, the Council examines appeals of property tax assessments for real estate taxes, and certifies tax rolls to the Louisiana Tax Commission. Other responsibilities of the Council include overseeing the operation of the public access television in Orleans Parish. Streaming video and video archives of the City Council's Regular and Committee meetings can be found on the City Council website.

The City Council is comprised of five districts and two councilmembers-at-large. Council President and Councilmember-at-Large Jason R. Williams; Council Vice President and Councilmember-at-Large Stacy Head; District "A" Councilmember Susan G. Guidry; District "B" Councilmember LaToya Cantrell; District "C" Councilmember Nadine M. Ramsey; District "D" Councilmember Jared C. Brossett; and District "E" Councilmember James Austin Gray II.