Voters will head to the polls in October to decide New Orleans’ municipal elections, with the seats of the Mayor, City Council and Orleans Parish Sheriff being the major positions up for grabs. In our quest to remain a public resource and inform voters for this important election, we at BGR have compiled a wide array of our past research and events on key election issues. Crime and public safety, infrastructure, city finances, and economic development are some of the top issues on voters’ minds. Explore our breadth of resources below:
Crime and Public Safety
Crime and public safety continue to be at or near the top of the list of voters’ major concerns, surveys say (click here and here). Over the years, BGR has produced research and hosted events aimed at advancing positive outcomes in this area. This work includes:
- Our Keys to the Jail (2022) report and follow-up release on the May 16 Orleans Parish jail escape that urged better planning, coordination, and accountability between the City and the Sheriff to reform the jail.
- Breakfast Briefings in 2022 and 2023 offering expert insights into strategies to reduce crime ranging from mental health and youth programs to NOPD recruitment and retention.
Shaping the Future of NOPD: BGR Breakfast Briefing with Supt. Anne Kirkpatrick (December 2023)
Breakfast Briefing Series on Public Safety (2022)
Affordable Housing/Economic Development
Affordable housing and economic development remain top concerns for New Orleans residents and policymakers alike, according to surveys. BGR has examined these critical issues through research and public discussions aimed at informing policy decisions. This work includes:
- Our October 2024 On the Ballot analysis informed voters about last year’s Housing Trust Fund charter amendment. In December, following voter approval, BGR sent a letter to the City Council recommending ways to improve future administration of the new fund.
- A March 2024 Breakfast Briefing focused on addressing homelessness through health and public-private partnerships featuring: Lesli Harris, City Councilmember for District B; Dr. Jennifer L. Avegno, director of New Orleans’ Health Department; and Nathaniel E. Fields, director of Homeless Services for the Mayor’s Office.
Addressing Homelessness through Health and Public-Private Partnerships: Breakfast Briefing (March 2024)
Infrastructure Funding
The funding of infrastructure is a major issue for New Orleans voters and residents, surveys find (click here and here). BGR has extensively researched the issue throughout the past decade with an array of award-winning reports and events. This work includes:
- Our 2024 report “How Has Fair Share Fared?” that analyzed the impact of the City of New Orleans’ 2019 “Fair Share” deal to direct new tourism dollars to maintain streets, drainage and other infrastructure. And our 2017 reports “Paying for Streets” and “Beneath the Surface” that explored ways to fund necessary road maintenance and the efficacy of stormwater fees to fund drainage compared to property taxes, respectively.
- A March 2025 Breakfast Briefing featuring Greater New Orleans, Inc. President and CEO Michael Hecht, who was appointed the infrastructure and economic development coordinator in the leadup to the 2025 Super Bowl. The conversation dove into the more than 500 projects that were completed and how city officials can continue to progress going forward.
BGR Breakfast Briefing Explores Lessons Learned from Super Bowl LIX Preparations (March 2025)
Sewerage & Water Board Reform
The state of the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans has long been an issue for voters, and even more so today, according to surveys (click here and here). Over the past few years, BGR has researched the issue and published its findings in multiple reports and events centered around S&WB reforms. This work includes:
- Our 2023 report, “Waterworks in Progress,” connects the flawed governance structure of the S&WB to key problems affecting the city’s water, sewer and drainage systems. BGR also makes recommendations for long-term reforms. We also presented our findings and recommendations to the Governor’s task force on the S&WB in 2024.
- A November 2023 BGR letter to the City Council calls for it to create a formal process to objectively evaluate S&WB funding proposals. BGR also recommends the council to develop a stronger framework for oversight that relies on more accountability to better improve the S&WB’s performance.
- Our September 2024 Breakfast Briefing featuring Ghassan Korban, then-executive director of the S&WB. Korban spoke on efforts to address the utility’s challenges around infrastructure and operations and billing, and ways to strengthen water, sewer and drainage systems in the city.
Sewerage and Water Board Update at BGR Breakfast Briefing (September 2024)
City Finances and Budgeting
New Orleans voters are concerned with the City’s budget and financial situation (click here and here), especially as we go into this year’s elections. BGR has done a lot of research on the state of city finances over the years, including most recently garnering an award for helping the City save $88.5 million for New Orleans taxpayers. Our other work includes:
- Our April 2025 report, After the Windfall, that discusses the City’s financial practices that are out of step with recommendations by government finance experts and calls for improvements.
- Our December 2022 report, Managing the Windfall, that explores how the City deployed pandemic relief funds it received through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and what impacts this unprecedented one-time money had on City finances and budget priorities.
- A May 2023 letter to the City Council urging greater planning and public reporting for the City of New Orleans’ use of its primary financial reserve.
See a list of our other reports and recommendations on city finances and budgeting here.