On the fifth day of the City Council's budget hearings, administration officials laid out how it planned to crack down on STR enforcement and restore trust in the Department of Safety and Permits.
A proposal under consideration by the Cantrell administration would create a city-led internet service and lead to the installation of thousands of ‘smart’ devices that could collect data on residents.
The proposal also includes the introduction of thousands of “smart cities” equipment throughout the city equipped with cameras and other data collecting sensors.
The new law creates new disclosure requirements for contractors and new responsibilities for the city, including keeping a list of "non-responsible" contractors.
The City Council will begin hearings next week to determine whether it’s going to make any changes to Mayor Cantrell’s draft before finalizing a budget by the end of November.
A key indicator of the city’s financial health — recurring general fund revenue — in 2022 is expected to be within three percent of 2019 levels.
The ordinances would allocate the first dollars from the estimated $380 million the city expects to receive from the federal American Rescue Plan.
The plan received preliminary approval this week from a City Council committee, but still needs final approval from the full council.
The city is estimating an $8.6 million loss in 2021 and a $7.7 million loss in 2022 due to Hurricane Ida and a related tax cut from the Orleans Parish Assessor.
