City hall’s newly unveiled 2016 operating budget highlights issues regarding poorly maintained roads, high crime rates, and a lack of employment opportunity for young African American males.
City hall’s newly unveiled 2016 operating budget highlights issues regarding poorly maintained roads, high crime rates, and a lack of employment opportunity for young African American males.

Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s vision of a peaceful and financially stable New Orleans is demonstrated by his newly proposed budget for this upcoming year.

Mayor Mitch Landrieu proposed to City Council an operating budget of $592.7 million dollars, which is a ten million dollar budget increase from 2015.

As citywide revenue rates have risen as a result of residential and commercial redevelopments, Landrieu plans to reinvest city funds into making improvements in public safety, infrastructure, recreation, and public works.

“Our brightest days are ahead. Our city’s population is growing, we’re attracting new businesses and retail that is creating jobs and our property values are up. This hard work is paying off and as a result, our revenue is up and we can invest more in our citizens’ priorities including public safety, job creation, recreation, streets and streetlights and to fight blight. Public safety remains my top priority,” Landreiu stated in a press release.

Mayor Landrieu’s commitment to public safety has been a staple of his time in office. Under this proposed budget, NOPD will receive an additional $10.5 million in funding and officers will receive a 15% pay raise increase.

Former city employee Don Jackson worked in the department of property management and engineering for fifteen years before retiring in 1999. He has seen positive citywide developments under the Landrieu administration and is confident in Landrieu’s increased operating budget.

“All you have to do is look around Uptown, you’ve already seen tremendous infrastructure developments. Also, Mitch Landrieu launched a New Orleans Redevelopment Authority Program, where he bought up lots in the Lower Ninth Ward for market value to allow developers to renovate areas which suffered during Katrina,” Jackson said. “Landrieu has and will put a boost in the arm of the city, as far as reputation goes. Companies are starting to move here. Major medical centers are opening. This city has truly been revitalized.”

The new budget proposes $150 million in its 2016 Capital Budget for road repairs, infrastructure improvements, aiding FEMA-funded recovery programs, and implementing stormwater management projects.

Grassroots community organization, Fix my Streets, has volunteered work since early 2014 to raise community awareness and restore under-maintenance roads throughout the city. The organization has received support from Mayor Landrieu via social media.

Jeff Januszek, Fix My Streets communications director, said he is enthused to hear Landrieu renew his commitment to driver safety and road management.

“Mayor Mitch Landrieu and city leaders have heard how upset New Orleans citizens are over the condition of our streets. They are finally beginning to take action, when for so many years, the issue was being kicked down the road for future generations to deal with,” Januszek said.

The budget’s ‘economic opportunity strategy’ aims to create a pathway to prosperity for young citizens to gain employment.

According to local unemployment statistics, the African American unemployment rate in New Orleans stands at 13.6%, three points above the national average.

“The budget dedicates more than $700,000 to City’s Economic Opportunity Strategy to create a pathway to prosperity for citizens, particularly young, African American men who are in need of a job,” Landrieu stated in a press release.