NEW ORLEANS, LA — The New Orleans City Council today advanced a balanced budget framework put forward by Mayor-elect Helena Moreno and the City Council, including current Budget Chair Joe Giarrusso and 2026 Budget Chair Lesli Harris to address the City’s significant fiscal challenges and ensure continuity of essential services.

NEW ORLEANS, Wednesday, October 29, 2025 | Today, the New Orleans City Council held a special meeting to introduce legislation to place guardrails on the proposed $125 million of revenue bonds that will be used to pay for City employees and to ensure the budget passed by the Council is followed. In addition, the Council will grant the Louisiana Legislative Auditor access to review the City’s finances from 2022 and beyond, and to review the City’s financial position regularly. Understating the urgency and gravity of the City’s finances, the City Council is proactively legislating solutions to show fiscal transparency and accountability.

NEW ORLEANS, LA - Today the New Orleans City Council passed Ordinance No. 35,229 authored by District E Councilmember Oliver M. Thomas to establish the city’s policy governing the release of photographs and video footage from crime and accident scenes involving death and serious bodily injury. The ordinance provides privacy protections for victims and their families while ensuring that law enforcement and judicial processes are not hindered.

NEW ORLEANS, LA - Today, District E City Councilmember Oliver M. Thomas Jr. issued the following statement:

“As a city that just recently observed the 20th anniversary of Katrina, we know what it means to see the National Guard on our streets. We’ve lived through that, and it was a scary time. What we learned then and must remember now is that safety comes from partnership with our community, not policing over it. We need partnerships like we do for special events, and that’s not the case now. The message this sends is that this is being done to our people, not with us.

NEW ORLEANS, LA - Today, District E City Councilmember Oliver M. Thomas Jr. issued the following statement:

My thoughts and prayers are with the residents of the Gentilly Ridge Apartments who were impacted by this morning’s devastating five-alarm fire. I am deeply grateful to the New Orleans Fire Department, New Orleans EMS, the American Red Cross, the Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness, the Office of Homeless Services & Strategy, and all of our first responders for their swift and courageous actions to save lives and prevent further tragedy.