With the City of New Orleans in the throes of austerity, the Moreno administration is making major cutbacks on this year's Mardi Gras expenses at Gallier Hall.
Records from 2024 show how the previous administration racked up $240,000 in Carnival expenses. And one specific line item drew scrutiny from Chief Administrative Officer Joe Giarrusso: Cantrell spent $15,000 on DJs alone over the course of the two weeks leading up to Fat Tuesday.
Speaking to the city council, Giarrusso proposed alternative musical solutions, “If you all want to start creating Spotify lists for different days during Mardi Gras, we’ll play Council Members. But seriously, this is the type of environment this mayor has asked us to embrace.”
In total, the Moreno administration claims to have cut Carnival expenses this year by $200,000, an 83% reduction from the previous year.