Being at the election night headquarters with Helena Moreno right after the news broke that had become the mayor-elect of New Orleans was a moment I felt was a great new start for one of the oldest cities in America. New Orleans may be 307 years old, but we are embarking on a fresh, new start behind the leadership of Helena Moreno.
Moreno said that we have to be patient because all she wants to do will take time. The mayor-elect said that this city has been to the same thing over and over and now it’s time for a change and she is right. Of the top three candidates, the third-place finisher with just 19% of the vote was Councilman Oliver Thomas, who seemed to have the attitude that he was entitled to be mayor.
Aside from being a convicted felon, which was not the reason he lost in my opinion, Oliver Thomas had too many ties to business people and politicians who seemed to delve in the dark areas of business and politics. Thomas did nothing to convince the voters of New Orleans that he would not continue to have the same mentality when it comes to his relationships and that just spelled personal gain over doing what is in the best interest of the citizens of New Orleans.
Helena Moreno promised to give the city Super Bowl treatment all the time - a reference to how everything possible was done to make the city look great for the visitors for the Super Bowl. I have often talked on my show about how the city makes the city great for the tourists and the visitors for special events, but does little to keep the city nice for the citizens who live here every day.
I realize that campaign promises are easy to make and hard to keep, but I have a strong feeling that Mayor Helena Moreno will make New Orleans a much better place for the citizens and that she will resist the intrinsic temptations that are part of the political game - especially in New Orleans. I expect an honest mayor who will be above abusing the entitlements that come with being mayor.