NEW ORLEANS - After several weeks of budget hearings, the Council adopted the City's 2020 Operating and Capital Budgets, concluding the annual budget review process and establishing spending levels for the coming year. Prior to the meeting, the City held a special Revenue Estimating Conference to adopt an adjusted 2020 revenue forecast and capture newly identified sources of revenue.

NEW ORLEANS - District "D" Councilmember Jared Brossett will be hosting a special Thanksgiving celebration to provide free turkeys to local families on Tuesday, Nov. 26, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Beacon Light Church. In partnership with Winn Dixie, Councilmember Brossett will be donating 500 turkeys (one per family) on a first-come, first-served basis as well as additional giveaways from event sponsors including AT&T, Total Community Action (TCA) and Harrah's New Orleans.

NEW ORLEANS - During today's Council's Utility, Cable, Telecommunications and Technology Committee (UCTTC) meeting, Councilmember Jared Brossett and committee members addressed the long-running Entergy New Orleans (ENO) system reliability problems responsible for numerous electric outages that plagued the city during 2014 through 2017. The UCTTC voted unanimously finding that ENO had not acted prudently in the maintenance and repair of its electric distribution system, and recommended that the full Council fine the company one million dollars for its lapses.

NEW ORLEANS - During yesterday's regular meeting, the Council passed three ordinances authored by District "D" Councilmember Jared Brossett establishing several new requirements regarding hiring standards and the issuing of City contracts. 

The next two months are going to be a busy time. There is a lot on the agenda for the City Council when it comes to shaping the future of New Orleans, and, as fate would have it, I will be a major player in this process.

2020 OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGETS

As chair of the City Council’s Budget Committee I will be working with Mayor LaToya Cantrell on the 2020 Operating and Capital Budgets. In anticipation of the Mayor’s budget on October 17th, the Council has prepared a hearing schedule that will allow a robust budget review process. Budget hearings will begin on Monday, October 28th through Friday, November 1st and will continue on Monday, November 11th through Friday, November 15th. Hearings will begin at 9 a.m. each day. During the 2020 budget review process, I am committed to working with Mayor Cantrell and my colleagues to ensure that we allocate the City’s limited resources to the operating, capital, and quality of life priorities that best meet the needs our citizens want addressed.