New Orleans leaders today will meet with state officials to see if there's any room for the city to seek 125 million dollars in short-term credit without having to cede control to a state-appointed administrator.
Members of the New Orleans City Council, including mayor-elect Helena Moreno, are hoping they can convince state leaders that there's no need to bring in a state-appointed overseer.
"The mayor-elect, myself, and council budget chairman Joe Giarrusso will be meeting with state partners to try and see if we can reach agreement on this $125 million gap loan," said council president J.P. Morrell.
"Hopefully we can take the rhetoric down three notches," said Councilmember Giarrusso.
The budget committee chairman says he understands why people from other parts of Louisiana would be skeptical. Giarrusso says this meeting with the state auditor, the attorney general, and others is a chance to show they have a workable plan.
"Let's show them what our plan is, what we're willing to do with the legislative auditor, making sure that reports are being given and produced, and I think that is a pathway forward," he said.
That doesn't mean there would be no state oversight at ll. Mayor-elect Moreno told NOLA.com she has been meeting with state officials on creating what she calls a "workable" oversight plan.
As it stands, the city right now has only enough cash on hand to make payroll through mid-month.