NEW ORLEANS, LA — On Wednesday, July 15, 2026, the Budget, Audit, and Board of Review Committee discussed and voted on several pieces of legislation. The committee also received a presentation on the completion of the Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Audit and the administration's monthly budget report for May 2026.
Budget-Related Legislation
The committee voted to recommend approval of Amendment No. 2 to the City's prior contract with OpenGov, Inc. This amendment extends the contract for its enterprise asset management system through July 31, 2029, increases the contract value to a new maximum of $4,274,576.66, and adds funding for three years of system maintenance and implementation of the OpenGov 311 module.
The contract is funded through a combination of General Fund and capital dollars, and a DBE waiver was granted due to the software's proprietary nature.
Next, the committee also voted to recommend approval of Ordinance Nos. 35,484 and 35,485. These ordinances amend the City's 2026 Operating Budget to appropriate $17,034,118 in Housing Bond Funds to the Office of Housing and Community Development for affordable housing projects in Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025.
The funding, generated from the sale of the 2021B and 2024B housing bonds, will support the Iris Riverbend, Lafitte Phase VII, Grove Place II, and BW Cooper developments.
The committee suspended Rule 57 to add Motion M-26-44 to the agenda for discussion only. This motion approves an amendment to the City's Classified Pay Plan creating the new position of Centralized Adjudication Bureau Administrator, effective February 1, 2026.
The position will oversee administrative hearings across multiple City departments, supervise bureau staff, and develop policies and procedures for the Centralized Adjudication Bureau. Funding for the new position has been certified by the Chief Administrative Office. The Council will consider voting on this item during the July 23 Regular Meeting.
Ordinances Nos. 35,487 and 35,488 will appear on the July 23 Regular Meeting agenda and will be considered for voting. Additionally, Motion M-26-242 was deferred to the August 6 Regular Meeting.
Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Audit Report
An Audit Partner and Consultant with Carr Riggs & Ingram (CRI) delivered a presentation on the FY 2025 Annual Audit. The presentation summarized the City of New Orleans' 2025 audit results and provided an overview of the City's financial trends.
Sales and property tax collections remained relatively stable, while General Fund cash and fund balance declined significantly from prior years, resulting in fund equity falling to approximately 7% of annual expenditures in 2025.
Governmental fund revenues continued to exceed $1,400,000, but expenditures also remained high, reflecting ongoing fiscal pressures. Capital investments increased, particularly in infrastructure, buildings, and equipment, while construction in progress declined as projects advanced toward completion.
Long-term liabilities improved overall, with decreases in pension obligations, other bonded debt, and claims and judgments, though pension liabilities remain among the City's largest financial obligations.
To view the full presentation, click here.
CAO Office's Budget Report for May 2026
The Chief Administrative Office's May 2026 Budget Report indicated that the City remains in a positive financial position, with year-to-date revenues exceeding expenditures by $91.9 million as of May 31, 2026, and a $43.7 million increase in the fund balance after accounting for other financing activities.
Revenues totaled $392.5 million, outperforming both the budgeted $370.4 million and the $346.2 million collected in the same period of 2025, with property and sales tax collections meeting or slightly exceeding expectations. Personnel and operating expenditures totaled $300.6 million, or 37.6% of the annual budget, while overtime spending remained $873,000 below budget due to strengthened spending controls.
The City reported a 5% vacancy rate, with 248 budgeted positions unfilled, as a hiring freeze continues for all but essential and revenue-generating positions. As of May 31, 2026, the unaudited year-to-date General Fund surplus, combined with the audited 2025 year-end balance, totaled $270.7 million. However, the report cautions against projecting the year-end balance from partial-year results.
To view the full presentation, click here.
To view the meeting agenda, click here.
To view the full meeting, click here.