Also at Thursday’s budget hearing, the Orleans Public Defender’s Office advocated for greater funding, saying their current budget isn’t enough to end a year-long hiring freeze.
Earlier this year, officials asked for as many as 16 new STR enforcement employees. That later went down to three. Emails show that top-ranking officials were nervous about how new enforcement rules would affect city tax revenue.
The state’s TOPS scholarship program and state budget formulas handicap less-advantaged students and colleges, and it’s a national trend.
Council members again ask if citywide property tax increases are necessary.
A proposed $1 million against the company also moves on to the full council.
The overall price tag for the 1200-room hotel is up nearly $30 million.
Outages in New Orleans became more frequent in the years following Entergy's disinvestment in maintenance and system upgrades.
Richella Maxwell's lawyer argued that her suspension letter only mentions the investigation into the Department of Safety and Permits, not any specific misconduct by Maxwell.
