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 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
