After the coronavirus pandemic crippled tourism and forced weeks of shutdowns followed by phased-in reopenings, the city of New Orleans is faced it a major budget shortfall.
"We are projecting a loss of about 150 million in revenue for year 2020 alone," New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced Monday afternoon. That would equal about a ten percent cut in pay.
The mayor says they are looking to make up some of that money through payroll.
"Today I'm calling on our civil service commission to fast track a plan to invoke one furlough day for each of the six remaining pay periods," Cantrell announced.
Cantrell says not even her office will be immune from the furloughs, and said she will essentially take a pay cut equal to six days remaining in the current fiscal year.
Even emergency personnel will be subject to furlough days. City Hall officials say the NOPD is working on scheduling shifts so the impact of the furloughs do not leave officers shorthanded, and also minimizes any increase in overtime for the officers who are working.
Mayor Cantrell also called on other elected officials who are paid via city funds to take equivalent pay cuts.
