Picture of Joseph I. Giarrusso III

District A
Joseph I. Giarrusso III

City Hall, Room 2W80 
1300 Perdido Street 
New Orleans, LA 70112

View map of Council District A

Subscribe for updates

Join my email list

Joe Giarrusso is in his second term as the Councilmember for District A. During his time in office, he has stressed two basic principles: government should make residents' lives easier and the best policy decisions are where efficiency intersects with equity. He also believes residents want to know their representatives are responsive and care about their needs.

During his 6 years as a councilmember, Joe is most proud of helping residents. Through two major reassessment cycles, his tax plans kept millage rates stable, saving taxpayers around $200 million over eight years without reducing funding to City services. He dedicated $32 million to gap financing programs, resulting in creation of nearly 1,200 long-term, affordable housing units. As Chair of the Budget Committee, he shepherded two significant City Charter amendments to enhance transparency, process, and better results: (1) beginning in 2024, the public and Council will have two months instead of one month to publicly review the City budget; and (2) the establishment of a single Code Enforcement department, with a single director and dedicated funding. And, he championed an Early Childhood Education millage to fund more than 1,000 seats at early learning centers for low-income families.

Joe's extensive infrastructure work resulted in the City's most important and most needed project - the Sewerage and Water Board West Power Complex. This complex features a dedicated substation that will provide newer, cleaner, and more reliable power source for the City's drainage system.  As former Chair of the Public Works Committee, Joe ensured the Council and public received quarterly reports from SWBNO, publicized summaries of its Board meetings, and worked on solutions for infrastructure.

Personally and from a policy perspective, Joe's dedication to improving and expanding access to mental health programs lead to the creation of the New Orleans Mental Health Collaborative. This citywide initiative he founded in 2023 with the United Way works to identify and fill gaps in mental health care in the city, with an overarching goal of coordinated care.

His legislative record shows the urgency and importance of responding to resident concerns. He required the Department of Public Works to publish data on street light repairs, potholes, road striping, and other quality of life issues. The Roadwork office must now list direct contacts - including the contractor - for all street repair work. And, Joe changed the law to require school zone lights to be functional to issue traffic tickets. 

Also, Joe repeatedly emphasizes the importance of consistent communication with residents. He assured meaningful public engagement by requiring virtual, telephonic, or in-person informational meetings for major land use issues. He ensured residents could receive updates on permits near their homes. He passed legislation lowering the application fees for certain types of housing. He implemented an overlay, developed with neighbors and stakeholders across District A, to stem the tide of "Doubles to Dorms" in the University area. Joe continues to work with state and local leaders to revitalize West End. Finally, Joe publishes data from our constituent services database to illustrate what issues most impact certain neighborhoods. Please see the Engagements Dashboard below.

Joe grew up in District A, graduating from Jesuit High School, the University of Texas at Austin, and the Louisiana State University Law School.  He is married to fellow attorney, Cassie Giarrusso, and together they have two daughters. 

Engagement Dashboard

View fullscreen dashboard

Committees

Staff

Joseph I. Giarrusso III, Councilmember District "A"
Name Title Email
General Contact 504-658-1010, 504-658-1016 (fax)  
Joseph I. Giarrusso III Councilmember Joseph.Giarrusso@nola.gov
Amanda Rizzo Chief of Staff Amanda.Rizzo@nola.gov
Nina Killeen Special Projects Director Nina.Killeen@nola.gov
Claire F. Byun Communications and Land Use Director Claire.Byun@nola.gov
LeeAnn M. Moss Constituent Services Director LeeAnn.Moss@nola.gov
Aimee McCarron  Policy Director Aimee.McCarron@nola.gov

Latest News

November 30, 2023

New Orleans City Leaders Collaborate on Key Priorities for 2024 Proposed Executive Budget Amendment

NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans City Council Budget Chair Joseph I. Giarrusso III and Chief
Administrative Officer Gilbert Montaño have collaborated to introduce an amendment to
the 2024 Proposed Executive Budget after weeks of working with Mayor LaToya Cantrell's
administration, the City Council, New Orleans residents, and stakeholders.

July 24, 2023

City Council Requests Taxing Agencies Not Roll Forward Their Millages After Huge Quadrennial Reassessments

This is a quadrennial reassessment year. As reported, the average property value has shot up by 23%. Residents are already burdened with skyrocketing insurance rates, higher utility costs, and increased costs for goods and services. They have been writing us to say they are tapped out. 

September 12, 2022

Councilmember Joe Giarrusso Convenes Mental Health Stakeholders to Help Fill Gaps in Citywide Care

NEW ORLEANS - Thursday, September 15, District A Councilmember Joe Giarrusso will
convene more than a dozen mental health stakeholders to help identify and fill gaps in
mental health care access across the city.
 

View all news from Joseph I. Giarrusso III

Newsletters

Subscribe