Should the New Orleans City Council return tax rates to their old pre-2019 assessment levels? It would mean higher property taxes for a lot of homeowners, but put a lot of money into city coffers. Members of the council budget panel entertained that question today.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell's administration says they have been careful with New Orleans resident's money, and the upcoming budget presentation will show that.
"We are coming and asking for a potential roll-forward or a partial roll-forward from an administration standpoint," said Chief Administrative Officer Gilbert Montaño, "but we're also going to be coming to the council demonstrating over the course of a year and a half where are cost-cutting measures have been implemented."
Montaño says the savings won't be enough to address what the administration says is a backlog of city needs.
"Although we will find millions, potentially five to ten million in savings over the course of time, because of the backlog of things needed by the city: increased officers, we need more officers, we need to keep the classes going. My fire department need almost 50 new recruits, which we're advertising for now, otherwise, my overtime's bleeding, EMS is asking for somewhere between 30 and 40 paramedics to be able to maintain just standard service care," said Montaño. "Those efficiencies and savings will be eaten up by some of the new and enhanced services required and needed by the city."
But some council members said their constituents have had their tax assessments increase 40 and 50 percent.
"That's a lot, and I think that's what makes the 'roll millage forward' (request) completely difficult," said Councilmember Joe Giarrusso. He and other members were skeptical of the request to raise property tax rates.