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NEW ORLEANS, LA - On Thursday, April 16, 2026, the Budget/Audit/Board of Review Committee held a meeting to vote on several budget-related pieces of legislation. Additionally, the committee heard reports from Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Joe Giarrusso and the Director of the Finance Department, Alyssa Rambeau, regarding the Monthly Budget Report and the February 2026 Budget Report, respectively.
Monthly Budget Reports for February 2026
Alyssa Rambeau gave a brief presentation to the committee on the February 2026 Budget Reports. The report showed the City is in an upswing early in the fiscal year, with revenues outperforming expectations and exceeding expenditures by $91 million year-to-date. Total revenues reached $225 million through February, surpassing both the budget and prior-year collections, largely due to stronger sales tax and service charge revenues, despite weaker property tax intake.
Year-to-date combined personnel and other operating spending totaled $133.9 million through February 2026, or 16.7% of the annual budget. Overtime costs were in line with last year overall, but about $1 million lower during the Mardi Gras period.
Staffing levels show a 6% vacancy rate with 270 unfilled positions, as the current hiring freeze limits new hires to essential or revenue-generating roles. The largest gaps are in departments such as Aviation, the Mayor's Office, the Library, and NORD.
The General Fund shows a combined surplus and prior-year balance totaling $165 million, though this figure is unaudited and subject to change. Overall, the report indicates positive revenue trends, controlled spending, and stable but constrained staffing.
To view the February 2026 Budget Report Executive Summary, click here.
Next, CAO Joe Giarrusso provided the committee with an updated Monthly Budget Report highlighting the City's current financial management and budget stabilization efforts as of April 2026, including improved fiscal discipline, reduced spending, and strengthened cash reserves.
According to the presentation, the City has accumulated approximately $89 million in a Cash Management Fund to address anticipated cash flow gaps later this year. These funds, sourced from entities such as the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO), federal grants, and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, are reserved for liquidity needs and are not considered surplus. At the same time, aggressive cost-control measures have significantly reduced expenses, including a 90% drop in General Fund travel spending and a 44% reduction in overtime costs compared with the same period in 2025.
Despite these cuts, Giarrusso explained that service delivery has been maintained or improved. The City managed a 20% increase in Mardi Gras visitors while reducing overtime spending, cutting permit approval times from 16 to seven days, and continuing infrastructure work, including pothole repairs and streetlight repairs. A public-facing overtime dashboard has also been launched to improve transparency.
On the revenue side, tax collection efforts are improving, and the administration anticipates gaining an extra $20 million in revenue at the upcoming Revenue Estimating Conference. This increase could facilitate a positive budget amendment. Broader stabilization initiatives, such as a 90-day Budget Stabilization Report, outline strategies to close a previous budget gap of over $100 million by implementing spending cuts, exploring alternative funding sources, and planning for long-term efficiency improvements.
Looking ahead, the City is beginning the 2027 budget process earlier than usual, with a focus on performance, efficiency, and sustainable spending to build a more strategic and balanced budget for future years.
To view the full Monthly Budget Report presentation, click here.
Voting on Budget-related Legislation
The committee voted on several pieces of legislation relating to Professional Service Agreements and the 2026 Operating Budget of Revenues and Expenditures.
See a full list of the Legislation the committee recommended for approval below:
- Ordinance Nos. 35,405 and 35,406 amend Ordinance Nos. 30530 M.C.S. and 30531 M.C.S., which establish the 2026 Operating Budget for the City of New Orleans, to allocate funds to Film New Orleans from the New Orleans Tourism & Culture Fund for production costs. They transfer $125,000 from Intergovernmental Revenues (FUND 6699) to the New Orleans Film Fund (FUND 5118) in the Mayor's Office, covering $90,042 for Personal Services and $34,957 for Other Operating expenses.
- Ordinance No. 35,407 amends Ordinance No. 30531 M.C.S. to reallocate funds for compliance with City Charter requirements for the Independent Police Monitor and Office of Inspector General. It transfers $564.541 from the General Fund (FUND 1000) in Miscellaneous Programs to Personnel ($126,532), Other Operating ($30,000), and the Office of Inspector General ($408,009).
- Ordinance Nos. 35,408 and 35,409 amend Ordinance Nos 30530 M.C.S. and 30531 M.C.S., as amended, entitled "An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues and Expenditures for the City of New Orleans for the Year 2026", to appropriate funds from the Sex Offender Registry Technology Fund to the Police Department for overtime costs; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto. Description: Transfer $50,000 from Intergovernmental Revenues (FUND 6699) to the Sex Offender Proprietary (FUND 5124) in the Police Department (100-Personal Services).
- Ordinance Nos. 35,410 and 35,411, which amends Ordinance Nos. 30530 M.C.S. and 30531 M.C.S., as amended, entitled "An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues and Expenditures for the City of New Orleans for the Year 2026", to appropriate Opioid Abatement Settlement funds to the New Orleans Health Department for recovery and support services; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto. Description: Transfer $3,865,166 from Intergovernmental Revenues (FUND 6699) to the LA OPIOID Abatement Task Force (FUND 5153) in the Health Department (200-Other Operating).
- Ordinance Nos. 35,412 and 35,413 amend Ordinance Nos. 30530 M.C.S. and 30531 M.C.S., titled "An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues and Expenditures for the City of New Orleans for 2026," to allocate grant funds to the Health Department for activities aligned with the Healthy Brain Initiative (HBI). Transfer $50,000 from Intergovernmental Revenues (FUND 6699) to the Federal Department of Health and Human Services (FUND 4145) in the Health Department.
- Ordinance No. 35,419 amends Division 2 of Article V, Chapter 18 of the City Code to raise rabies vaccination license tag fees, establish fee waivers for financial hardship, and make related changes.
- Ordinance No. 35,421 authorizes the Mayor of New Orleans to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with NORA and FANO for over a year to manage the Housing Trust Fund, as detailed in the attached Exhibit "A".
- Motion M-26-82, which approves an amendment to the City's Classified Pay Plan for the Parks and Parkways Department. It creates a new Golf Course Superintendent position to oversee operations at the Joseph M. Bartholomew Golf Course, sets its salary level starting at $75,170, and establishes a 10% pay increase for employees in that role who obtain and maintain professional certification from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).
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