New Orleans Firefighter Pension Woes and the Legislative Session

OVERVIEW BGR’s report, A Retreat on Pension Reform: City of New Orleans Reverses Steps to Rein in Sharply Rising Pension Costs by Increasing Benefits, analyzes the City’s little-publicized decision last fall to reverse pension benefit reductions intended to address a steady weakening of the pension system’s finances and a steep rise in the public’s costs.

OVERVIEW This report is the latest installment in BGR’s Candidate Q&A Election Series. The new report consolidates and reissues the responses of the newly elected City of New Orleans mayor and councilmembers who completed BGR’s surveys last fall on important issues facing City government. We encourage citizens to revisit the issues by reviewing the BGR […]

OVERVIEW BGR’s release addresses a bill that would, among other things, allow a member of the New Orleans City Council to sit on the Sewerage & Water Board. BGR opposes the change in board composition for the S&WB and urges instead that policymakers focus on improving City Council oversight and regulation of the S&WB within […]

Overview For the October 14, 2017 primary elections in New Orleans, BGR provided voters with its 2017 Candidate Q&A Election Series. BGR submitted questions to all mayoral and City Council candidates on public safety, infrastructure and other important public policy issues facing the City of New Orleans government. BGR compiled the answers of the candidates who […]

Overview In an open letter to the Louisiana Legislature, BGR reiterates the problems with the state’s unusual nonprofit property tax exemptions. The letter explains the deficiencies in the current provisions, demonstrates their unusual status in the context of other states’ requirements and presents a template for a constitutional amendment.

Overview BGR reviews two property tax propositions on the ballot in New Orleans on December 10, 2016: a tax increase for fire protection services for the City of New Orleans and a tax renewal for the Sewerage & Water Board’s drainage system.

Overview Reducing the Cost of Tomorrow: A Practical Guide to Pension Reform in Jefferson, Orleans and St. Tammany Parishes explores the changes to public pension benefits policymakers can make to reduce the costs and risks associated with the pension plans. The report is the fourth installment in a series of BGR pension reports.

Overview In Convention Center Bill Highlights Need to Rethink Local Taxation, BGR addresses a bill that would grant taxing authority to the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center’s economic development district. The release calls for a comprehensive re-evaluation of Orleans Parish taxes, with an eye toward aligning tax revenues with the city’s most pressing needs.

Overview In Safeguard Coastal Funds, Safeguard Louisiana’s Future, BGR comments on bills filed in the 2016 legislative session that could reduce or loosen constitutional protections on coastal restoration funding.

Overview BGR explains and analyzes two tax propositions in New Orleans on April 9, 2016: one for street work and other improvements, and a second for the police and fire departments.

Overview In It’s Time for Common Sense on Nonprofit Exemptions, BGR calls on the Louisiana Legislature to address overly broad language in the state constitution for nonprofit property tax exemptions that is costly to both local governments and taxpayers.

Overview In this open letter to the Louisiana State Legislature in 2014, BGR expresses concern that SB 469 might permanently deprive the residents of coastal Louisiana of significant claims against the oil and gas industry and others. It provides a list of questions in need of answers before the House of Representatives votes on the […]

Overview In this release, BGR addresses a bill in the 2014 legislative session that would require the regional flood protection authorities to get the governor’s approval before hiring special counsel. The change would expose the flood protection authorities to political pressure and intervention from the governor. This has long-term implications for flood protection and coastal […]

Overview In this release, BGR addresses a bill in the 2014 legislative session that would allow the governor to unilaterally remove members of regional flood protection authorities for vague reasons. The change would expose the flood protection authorities to political pressure and intervention from the governor. This has long-term implications for flood protection and coastal […]

Overview In this release, BGR addresses a bill in the 2014 legislative session that would move the regional flood protection authorities into the executive branch. The change would expose the flood protection authorities to political pressure and intervention from the governor. This has implications for flood protection and coastal restoration.

Overview In this release, BGR raises concerns about a bill pending in the state Senate in 2014 that would weaken the critical reforms of local levee boards put in place in response to the 2005 levee failures, including the regional flood protection authorities. This has implications for flood protection and coastal restoration.

Overview In an open letter to the Louisiana Legislature, BGR sets forth its positions on evolving legislation to reform the governance of the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans.

Overview In this release, BGR examines a 2013 legislative proposal to authorize a hotel assessment in New Orleans. For hotel guests, the assessment would be the functional equivalent of a new hotel tax.

Overview In this release, BGR discusses possible amendments to the evolving governance reforms for the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans and recommends improvements.

Overview In Sound the Alarm, BGR examines the New Orleans Fire Fighters’ Pension and Relief Fund – which has become a major financial burden for the public – and relevant bills under consideration by the Legislature in 2013.

Overview In this release, BGR discusses possible amendments to pending legislation to reform the governance of the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans, and makes recommendations to protect the nominating process.

Overview In The Rising Cost of Yesterday: Metro Area Pension Costs and the Factors that Drive Them, BGR examines 18 defined benefit pension plans available to local government workers in Jefferson, Orleans and St. Tammany parishes (the Plans). The report tallies the costs the Plans impose on local government entities in the three parishes, and […]

Overview In On the Ballot: November 6, 2012, BGR examines three proposed constitutional amendments, two propositions pertaining to multiple parishes in the New Orleans area, a proposed change to the City of New Orleans charter and two local tax propositions. The three constitutional amendments would strengthen gun rights, provide an additional homestead exemption to spouses […]

This edition of Now looks at the recent move in the Louisiana State Legislature to defund the state Office of Inspector General.

Overview Understanding Pensions: A Primer on Public Employee Pension Plans is the first in a series of reports on the public pension plans in which local governments in Jefferson, Orleans and St. Tammany parishes participate.

Overview This edition of Now looks at the issue of public pension costs. In the coming months, BGR will release reports digging deeper into public pension costs, with a particular focus on the retirement systems in the New Orleans area. We will examine public pension plans in Jefferson, Orleans and St. Tammany parishes, compare the […]

BGR analyzes 10 State constitutional amendments on the ballot for November 2, 2010. The amendments concern a wide variety of issues, including: Salary increases for elected officials Allocation of State of Louisiana severance taxes Property tax exemption for disabled veterans Limiting tax increases for non-elected taxing authorities Extending the period following a disaster for retaining […]

Overview BGR analyzes two Orleans Parish propositions and two State constitutional amendments on the ballot for October 2, 2010. The two Orleans Parish propositions would amend the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans to reconfigure the governance of City recreation services and facilities, and adjust the City Council membership on the Sewerage […]

Overview In this letter to the members of the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee of the State Legislature, BGR opposes any dilution of the state’s open meetings laws. The letter comes in response to a push to close certain meetings of public bodies. May 18, 2010 Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee P.O. Box 94183 Baton […]

Overview The Bureau of Governmental Research analyzes four proposed amendments to the State constitution and one proposed amendment to the St. Tammany Parish home rule charter. The report covers amendments that will go before voters on October 20, 2007. Two of the proposed constitutional amendments deal with State supplemental pay for local public safety employees. The […]