New Orleans saves $8 million in overtime

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno says paying closer attention to overtime has led to fewer overtime charges from city workers.

City workers clocking overtime pay has dropped noticeably since New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno took office, the mayor told WWL's Newell Normans.

Moreno says overtime, a big factor in how the city blew threw its budget so fast the year before she took office, isn't nearly the strain on the budget it used to be.

"What we're seeing is that in the first quarter of this year, compared to the first quarter of last year, we're seeing about an eight million dollar reduction in overtime alone," Moreno said.

The mayor said that she believes just keeping a closer eye on spending has helped cut unnecessary expenses.

"It's when you are really manning the store, when you're really checking on how every dollar's spent, the people are a lot more careful about the spending," she said.

And Moreno says savings are just a part of the plan.

"So we continue to be careful about spending; at the same time, of course, we are looking at different ways in which either the city A) can generate new recurring revenue, or B) not be on the hook for money that supposedly we may be owed," the mayor said.