As New Orleans prepares to take out a $125 million loan to cover its budget deficit this year, the incoming mayor is preparing for next year.
"There's not one excess penny that can be spent on things that are not necessary," mayor-elect Helena Moreno told WWL's Newell Normand. As such, she said her administration will have to forego some of the traditional trappings of the mayor's office.
"As I've been planning my inaugural events and things like that, I'm like, look, there is no way that I can have the big ball and all this stuff, as former mayors have had, if I'm potentially going to have to be furloughing or laying off people," said Moreno. "I'm already looking at Mardi Gras. You know, every year the mayor has a Mardi Gras ball and there are some city funds that are expended on that. We need to cut that out."
Moreno says her administration will have to pinch every penny, and leave nothing off the table when it comes to maximizing efficiency.
"I also view this challenge as an opportunity," she said. "As an opportunity to really rebuild government and get it right so that we are putting people in the right places so that they are delivering the very best services for the people of this city."
