The New Orleans City Council could vote today to allow the Cantrell Administration to try to borrow the money to pay city employees for the rest of the year.
The executive branch yesterday made the case for taking out a $100 million emergency line of credit.
That means making a request to the Louisiana Bond Commission.
Council President J.P. Morrell, who used to sit on the bond commission, says New Orleans wouldn't be the first Louisiana city to seek this kind of relief; but those kinds of requests typically come up three months before the cash is needed.
He says the commission will not see this as "fiscally sound budget planning."
Not only will the city have to pay that money back, but it will come with a higher than normal interest rate.
Last week the Louisiana Legislative Auditor says the city was facing a $160 million budget deficit.
The administration blames the U.S. government shutdown, saying federal reimbursements for post-Katrina construction have been on hold because of the federal government shutdown.
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