A New Orleans City Council Committee votes to freeze discretionary funding to Public Works, Safety and Permits, the Planning Commission, and the Law Department.
The three councilmembers behind the move say it’s about forcing these departments to implement long-needed reforms, but nola.com reports Mayor Latoya Cantrell opposes the push to lock up the over 12 million dollars, citing concerns about how this could impact hiring for understaffed departments.
One of the councilmembers in support of the freeze spoke with WWL’s Tommy Tucker this morning. JP Morrell laid out the case against the four embattled departments, saying they’re infamous for a lack of responsiveness to both residents and elected leaders.
“You call the Department of Public Works because they have literally blown up every street in your neighborhood simultaneously so you can’t exit or enter your neighborhood, there’s no plan there’s no notice, and whenever you call as a citizen they tell you to pound sand,” said Morrell. “You’re tired of calling your councilmembers who are also getting told to pound sand.”
Morrell accused these departments of operating like “fiefdoms” with no accountability.
“We’re just going to hold all of this money you haven’t spent yet and you are going to have to come to us and ask for it and tell us what you need for it,” said Morrell.
The nola.com report states councilmembers Oliver Thomas and Eugene Green are opposed to the freeze, and the issue will be heard by the full Council at an April 7th regular meeting.
