With a week to go before the City Council must approve the city’s 2011 budget, New Orleans’ chief economist has revised his revenue estimates to project $1.74 million more going to the city next year than previously thought.
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Sheriff convinces jail group to back off of demolitions
Despite an apparent agreement last week to drastically reduce the size of the city’s jail complex, Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman on Monday bristled at any decision now that he be required to demolish jail cells in the future.
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics, Investigations
Despite greater detail, Sheriff's budget continues to be opaque and mysterious
No public agency’s budget is a bigger source of intrigue in New Orleans than Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman’s.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Gusman to get 1,438 beds in exchange for major closures; community input Monday
Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman is close to getting his desperately sought-after city approval to build a new jail facility – but it comes with a major catch.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Hurricane recovery loans go to Baton Rouge refinery work
The State Bond Commission voted today to issue ExxonMobil Corporation $12 million more in tax-free, low-interest bonds to finance an upgrade of the petro giant’s Baton Rouge facility.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Uptown hangout to close after 47 underage patrons found
A popular Uptown college hangout has been shut down temporarily after a police raid that ensnared 47 underage drinkers, including the son of a prominent former state legislator, police said.
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Groups studying jail size may continue work past deadline
Despite having a Monday deadline, Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s Criminal Justice Working Group may well extend its efforts, Chief Administrative Officer Andy Kopplin said today at the first of the two final scheduled meetings.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Council asked to give public a chance to review budget
The final day of more than three weeks of budget hearings ended today with a final request: that the council pass on the extra time they had to review the budget on to the public.
Posted inSchools
50 years later, schools still effectively segregated
Fifty years after New Orleans desegregated public schools, 90 percent of the city’s public school students are black, and nearly a quarter of public schools have student populations that are 100 percent black, analysis shows.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
“Unacceptably large” number of hotels skip taxes, IG says
Inspector General Ed Quatrevaux is about to release a hotel tax audit covering 26 hotels for 2009.