New Orleans at large City Councilman J.P. Morrell sat down with Newell Normand today to discuss Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s international travel on the city’s dime and the Mayor’s abrupt cancellation of her trip to Singapore.
“I think it’s an acknowledgement that we need to be dealing with local issues. Issues that are facing citizens at home need to be at the forefront.”
Morrell says the city doesn't need elected officials flying around being a public relations tool:
“We pay a tremendous amount of money to New Orleans and Company for example. That’s their job is to promote tourism throughout the world. They can do that without elected officials being present.”
Morrell says we are a city in crisis and money is tight:
“If we were not a city in crisis, it would be a different conversation. But we are a city in crisis. Everyone should not be using taxpayer dollars especially to that degree to travel around the world.”
Morrell also took the Mayor to task for not informing the City Council President when she leaves town. He said he only finds out about the Mayor being out of town when it’s reported in the media.