UPDATE: The charter change proposal has, once again, been postponed.
After getting delayed last month, a New Orleans City Council committee will take up a proposed change to the city’s charter that would allow the council to have the final say on mayoral appointments.
The charter change, if approved in committee today and later by the full council, would ultimately be decided by voters in November.
It’s yet another challenge to Mayor Latoya Cantrell by Council President Helena Moreno and Council VP JP Morrell, who also joined an effort started by Councilman Joe Giarrusso to restrict discretionary funds to four embattled city agencies. Both moves are strongly opposed by the Mayor.
UNO Political Science Professor Dr. Ed Chervenak told WWL there’s clearly a growing power struggle between Mayor Cantrell and some members of the Council who hope to take on the traditionally powerful New Orleans executive branch.
“They accuse the Mayor of having this kind of secretive management style that every time they ask for information they have a hard time getting it,” said Chervenak. “There’s always this push for power, and struggle for power between the branches of government, and that is what we are witnessing.”
Mayor Cantrell came out early against the proposed charter change, saying it would “grind local government to a halt at the beginning of new terms for future Mayors and City Councils.” Nola.com reports it’s also opposed by former Mayor Marc Morial who argued “It would turn the appointments process into the circus, posturing and gamesmanship we see in Washington.”
Supporters of the change, like Councilman Morrell, argue the recent Peter Bowen scandal is evidence enough that the Council should take a more active role in appointments.
“That is exactly the fuel that they are looking at in terms of moving ahead with the reform,” said Chervenak.
