The pandemic has taken its toll on New Orleans’ economy.
However, are Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s COVID restrictions worth the economic loss?
“Her actions have kept the economy lower than it would have been, but it has also kept the covid down. If we had come back up a bit then we may have had to slam the door shut,” said Professor of Economics and Finance at UNO Walter “Dub” Lane.
He says as hard as the restrictions have been on businesses in the city, the loss would be far worst if they were not in place and the economy had to shut down a second time.
Recent crime statistics make it clear, crime in New Orleans is on the rise and the city is doing what it can to get a handle on the COVID pandemic.
However, was it necessary for mayor Cantrell to cut the city budget, which included furloughing NOPD officers?
“So, the city is required to have a balanced budget on the city’s operations. So there really was no choice but to cut the budget. This is not whether you want to or not. There really is not much she can do I’m afraid,” said Lane.
Lane says it looks bad when the mayor cuts budgets to city departments and then spends money on capital projects, but Lane says those two budgets are separate and the money used for those projects come from federal grants and FEMA which Mayor Cantrell is obligated by law not to use for city operational budgets.
