City Council leaders gave a cool reception Wednesday to Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s plan to finance an economic development office within City Hall as well as the new Nola Business Alliance, a separate nonprofit entity funded with a mix of public and private dollars to generate jobs and investment in New Orleans.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Homework for Election Day
The Nov. 2 features some marquee races, but it also has plenty of down-ballot items. Find out what awaits you in the voting booth by using the state’s handy ballot generator. And if you need help decoding those 10 Constitutional amendments, download this guide from the non-partisan Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana. It even […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Jindal’s political future is stickier than his sand berms
A month ago I griped about Gov. Bobby Jindal’s preternatural luck. Louisiana’s “part time governor,” as I called him, had radically scaled down his dubious sand-berm idea without any negative political fallout. All summer Jindal had touted the berms as being key to winning the “war” against oil in the Gulf. Then he retreated, scaling down the plan, and neither the media nor the public turned on him.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Levee District joins mayor in considering a tax increase
The folks at city hall may not be the only ones inching up your tax bill in 2011.
The Orleans Levee District is also considering raising its own taxing rate, at the same time as the City Council considers a proposed budget from Mayor Mitch Landrieu that calls for raising the rate that determines how much property owners pay in taxes.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Courthouse security deal made
The judges in Criminal District Court have met this morning and voted to shut down the courthouse if Sheriff Marlin Gusman pulls his security at noon, as they are expecting, a spokeswoman said.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
NORD budget decisions premature, council says
Though presenters at the second day of City Council budget hearings enthusiastically outlined their funding requests for city programs aimed at children and families, most council members said the time – and the budget – isn’t right to begin new projects and urged them to find money elsewhere.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
City Council may scavenge money from separate boards
Seated on the elevated dais at City Council chambers today, Councilwoman Stacy Head rubbed her hands together and mouthed “money.”
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
True to word, Gusman yanking deputies from courthouse
Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman partially will follow through Tuesday morning on his threat to pull some security from the Criminal District Court building unless the city pays him an extra $500,000.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Citizen involement plan to get worked over by bureaucracy
The City Council decided this week that it’s ready to start a process to plan for formal citizen participation – a process that citizens actually have been working toward for years.
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Schools
LSU faculty forming union to fight state budget cuts
In light of layoffs due to massive budget cuts within Louisiana’s public-funded university systems, Louisiana State University faculty members are forming a union, falling in line with colleagues at other state universities.