I love these texts… “Newell, are you obsessed with Mayor Cantrell?” I don’t think so. Obviously, you believe that I am. But when people are pointing out that there’s a lack of attention to the crime problem for years, what is one to do?
When people point out that there’s a lack of attention to staffing of NOPD, code enforcement, and the revenue department, what is one to say?
When people point out that we can’t get a water bill right, and the Mayor serves as the Chairman of the Board of the New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board, what do you do with that?
When we find out that Mayor Cantrell mishandled the Wisner Trust and is giving public money away, which she doesn’t have the authority to do, are you saying that we should say nothing?
When we find out that they totally bungled the procurement of the new 911 software, and it ends up costing the City of New Orleans all kinds of money with lawyers and the like, should we close our eyes?
When we find out that Mayor Cantrell mishandled the smart cities contract (you remember that debacle don’t you?), should we turn our back and walk away?
How about when citizens deal with the stench of the lack of consistency of waste disposal moving from twice a week to once a week, should we wear a nose plug and say nothing?
How about mishandling blight remediation and how that contributes to crime? Is it an obsession to talk about that?
What about capital construction projects that seem to go on forever and a day, so much so that we’ve now become the city of pylons and cones. We even have internet sites dedicated to this awful inconvenience and embarrassment. Should we not go on the Internet?
How about the mishandling of the French Quarter security plan? All of the residents of the French Quarter were up in arms. There was even an attempt to take the money…for the citizens to manage their hard earned contributions themselves…for the good their own safety and security of the Vieux Carre. Yes, they voted to tax themselves. Do we not have a right to talk about that?
How about the miss handling of the relocation of City Hall, where it was the Mayor’s way or the highway? And everyone had to come together to back up the queen on that issue. Should we just bow and go along to get along with this craziness?
How about assisting a crime perpetrator as opposed to the victim? Can we not be victim advocates? Should we not expect that from the Mayor?
How about living in the Pontalba, saying that this city-owned apartment is hers, and now we find out that she’s sharing it with family members? You’re OK with that? How many nights did you get at the Pontalba?
How about when we find out that there are more officers on the Mayor Cantrells’s security detail than there are on a watch in the Sixth District? Should Sixth District citizens not have a voice? Should they just say nothing?
These stories were not created by me. These are not things that I had to go and look for. These are issues, topics and concerns that have come my way. If you consider that as an obsession, you’re right. I’m obsessed.
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