The city of New Orleans is having to collectively tighten up the purse strings when it comes to the city budget as it faces massive shortfalls across the board. After reports of possible misuse or abuse of police overtime, Mayor-elect Helena Moreno has already made a strong stand against any unnecessary spending going forward, and that includes overtime pay for police. That said, plenty of large events are held in the city every year, and that requires extra hands on deck when it comes to security and safety.
New Orleans City Councilmember Joe Giarrusso noted that the council and mayor are aware that there are some expenditures around special events that will simply need to happen. “We’re going to have Mardi Gras. That was around $5 million in overtime last year. The Sugar Bowl was around $200,000. We’re going to have Essence Fest. That’s a couple hundred thousand (dollars). You know there are going to be parades, festivals, and other things that add up every single year to be around a certain number. And, obviously there’s going to be overtime that happens in districts across the city regularly as well,” Giarrusso explained.
Councilmember Giarrusso emphasizes that he understands the unique circumstances that are inherent in New Orleans and they are planning for a future of financial solvency while maintaining the special culture of the city. “Mayor-elect Moreno has already said that she wants to put aside around $50 million overall for overtime next year. That means that there will be a pot available to NOPD and other public safety agencies, Giarrusso pointed out. That will allow officers to take on parades or sporting events that may require their services. “There need to be stricter guidelines, Giarrusso added. "In the future, it’s going to be about having tighter controls and making sure it works well with everybody and making sure people know that overtime can’t simply be given away like candy."
Ultimately, the city hopes to add more police officers to its ranks to both ensure public safety and avoid the hefty costs of overtime piling up due to a lack of manpower. In New Orleans, there are always special circumstances that need to be considered. “You have to build a little bit of variability into it. We might have a hurricane or two that hits us over the summer and you have to plan for that. At the same time, I know the mayor-elect is looking at revenue raising measures to see how, when events are in town, they contribute to paying for their own security so it doesn’t fall on the backs of New Orleanians,” Giarrusso went on to note.