NEW ORLEANS - Council President Helena Moreno filed a resolution with five coauthors in support of efforts in the state legislature to decriminalize the possession and use of marijuana in Louisiana. Moreno supported such efforts as a legislator and has continued advocacy around decriminalization since becoming a New Orleans City Councilmember. 

According to the Tax Foundation 16 states and Washington, DC have legalized recreational marijuana. Twelve states impose taxes. Legislation in Louisiana has been filed by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers showing the growing support for

NEW ORLEANS - Last week, Council President Helena Moreno released a letter of support strongly backing the effort by State Representative Matthew Willard to ask voters to constitutionally cap residential property valuation increases to 10% a year. The proposed constitutional amendment, if passed by the legislature and subsequently approved by voters, would cap property value increases to help prevent the erosion of affordable housing in New Orleans. 

NEW ORLEANS - City Council President Helena Moreno has released the following statement in regards to federal stimulus aid and the establishment of a new Stimulus Command Task Force:

NEW ORLEANS - Today, Council Utilities Chair Helena Moreno announced a Utilities Committee hearing on Tuesday, March 16, to discuss yesterday’s revelation by Entergy New Orleans that blackouts on Mardi Gras night unnecessarily affected, not 81MW of load as previously reported, but in fact a total of 105MW.

NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans City Council has joined the Louisiana Public Service Commission and the Arkansas Public Service Commission (together the “Retail Regulators”) to file a complaint at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) against Entergy Corporation, Entergy Services, Inc., Entergy Operations, Inc. and System Energy Resources, Inc. (together “Entergy”). 

The Retail Regulators are seeking refunds and rate reform related to over $1 billion in costs imposed on Entergy customers across New Orleans, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi due to Entergy’s poor management of the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station.