BGR has been a constructive voice on public policy in the New Orleans area since 1932. Scroll down to see how our work has laid the foundation for many government reform initiatives.
1932
Paving the Way to Better Things
As Huey Long’s political machine tightens its grip on New Orleans, a group of local professionals and businessmen defy political pressure to form an organization “devoted to the study of public affairs” in January 1932. It would quickly grow to 300 members and change its name from the Civic Affairs League to the Bureau of Governmental Research.
1937
Designing Reforms
Under the leadership of executive directors Sherman Sheppard (1937-1942) and Lennox Moak (1942-1949), BGR designs reforms to City of New Orleans finances, civil services and public schools. Facts uncovered by BGR also would play prominently in the investigation of the Louisiana Hayride Scandals of 1939-40, which led to 145 indictments and the arrest of the governor.
1946
Morrison Takes Up Reforms
The election of New Orleans Mayor deLesseps “Chep” Morrison in 1946 opens the door to major city reforms. The new mayor would implement BGR’s recommendations for administrative and police reforms.
1950
BGR Spins Off PAR
After years of work on state government issues, BGR fosters the formation of the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana in 1950. Today, PAR serves as a nonpartisan, independent voice on state policy issues, transparency, and accountability.
1954
Enhancing Self-Governance
New Orleans’ first home rule charter takes effect. BGR played a key role in drafting the state constitutional amendment authorizing home rule and guiding the preparation of the charter itself. BGR Executive Director Val Mogensen served as director of the Charter Commission. It is BGR’s most significant project to date.
1968
Preserving the Vieux Carré
BGR completes a seven-volume study that lays a comprehensive foundation for preserving New Orleans’ historic French Quarter. The Vieux CarrĂ© Demonstration Grant Study is the most extensive single work in the organization’s history. It would serve as a guide for planning for both historical preservation and future growth in many other communities in the United States.
1971
A Plan for a Better Zoo
BGR publishes a study that increased awareness of problems at Audubon Zoo and offered detailed improvement plans. This work helped the Audubon Park Commission transform the zoo into one of the nation’s best.
1982
Turning 50
BGR notes a general evolution in governmental research work. As more trained professionals enter public service, there is less need for privately-funded research on the methods of public administration, such as how to prepare a budget or operate a police department. This leads BGR to reposition itself to analyze the “why” of governmental policy and programs. As citizens understand what government does, why it does it, what it costs, and how it is paid for, they can take appropriate steps as taxpayers and voters to call for improvements.
1987
New Direction, New Life
Jim Brandt becomes BGR’s executive director, taking the helm of an organization struggling to stay afloat financially amid the collapse of Louisiana’s oil-driven economy. With unwavering support of BGR’s board of directors, Brandt rebuilds the organization. By 1988, membership is on the rise, and BGR wins a national award for 56 years of distinguished service. BGR also introduces its Breakfast Briefings, BGR’s quarterly forums where citizens can hear experts and decision-makers discuss major public policy issues.
1994
Honoring Great Work
BGR launches its Excellence in Government awards to honor public employees who have demonstrated outstanding performance and creative problem-solving to improve government in the New Orleans metro area. Over the years, BGR has given more than 150 Excellence in Government awards to public employees and private citizens. The awards align with BGR’s mission and encourage achievements that benefit the community at large.
2002
Raising Our Profile
BGR’s visibility reaches a new peak after publishing major studies on airport governance, government contracting, and property tax exemption and assessment practices. BGR continues work on one of its most intensive projects, an analysis of a deeply flawed $1 billion Sewerage & Water Board privatization proposal.
2005
Responding to a Crisis
Following the Hurricane Katrina disaster, President & CEO Janet Howard makes BGR’s research program more timely and relevant to the rapidly changing recovery effort. BGR releases shorter, more accessible reports to inform citizens and policymakers. BGR’s research leads to the long-awaited consolidation of New Orleans’ seven elected assessors and a charter amendment to improve the planning process.
2007
BGR Celebrates 75 Years
To provide financial stability for the future, BGR marks its 75th anniversary with a fundraising campaign to create an endowment. The successful effort provides BGR with a financial cushion to weather future crises and enhance its research program.
2012
Research With a Broad Perspective
BGR celebrates its 80th birthday having achieved several improvements to local government, including City of New Orleans contracting reforms based on BGR’s professional services contracting model. BGR continues work on key issues of interest throughout the metro area, including tax assessments and exemptions and public pension plans.
2013
Funding a Unique School System
In 2013, BGR publishes The Accidental Steward, which recommends a new approach to ensure fair funding across New Orleans’ unique, charter-focused school district. In addition, BGR’s monitoring of the Orleans Parish School Board’s finances brings attention to $39 million in local tax revenues that the School Board was accumulating in a deferred revenue account rather than distributing to the schools. The School Board responds by distributing the money among all public schools.
2019
‘Lost Penny’ Restored
BGR’s report The Lost Penny shows how City government receives less hotel tax revenue than suggested by best practices and peer cities. This resulted from the 1966 suspension of a 1% City hotel tax. Following BGR’s report, the Legislature restores the “lost penny” tax. It provides more than $12 million a year for New Orleans infrastructure.
2020
School Funding Clarity
In Learning Curve, BGR untangles the complex web of funding sources and mechanisms that support the now unified — but still unique — school district. District officials embrace the report as a valuable resource for building local education stakeholders’ understanding of school funding: where the money comes from, how it can be spent, and how allocations are determined. The Orleans Parish School Board has since strengthened policies for managing the system’s fund balance and public funds held by closing charter schools. This further highlights BGR’s contributions to developing a solid school funding framework that addresses the needs of New Orleans’ non-traditional district.
2023
Increasing Financial Transparency
BGR presses the City of New Orleans and Jefferson Parish for greater transparency in spending one-time federal pandemic relief funds. The City improved its public relief fund dashboard and developed one for its General Fund reserves. Jefferson Parish’s Inspector General began tracking uses of the parish’s pandemic relief funds.
February 2024
A New Tool to Inform Taxpayers
BGR’s property tax dashboards provide the public with an invaluable tool for understanding and navigating where their tax dollars go. By offering clear, interactive visualizations, these dashboards empower residents to make informed decisions, track tax trends, and hold local governments accountable, all while fostering transparency and accessibility in the taxation process.
August 2024
Maintaining Research Excellence
BGR wins three awards from its peers in the Governmental Research Association (GRA). The awards honored our 2023 Sewerage and Water Board report, our Property Tax Dashboards, and our letter on strengthening New Orleans’ primary financial reserve. Other recent recognition has included BGR’s On the Ballot framework for analyzing tax propositions. Since 1992, BGR has received more than 50 GRA awards recognizing its research, citizen education efforts, and policy achievements.
September 2024
Making an Impact: “Fair Share” Deal
The “Lost Penny” tax and other pieces of the 2019 Fair Share deal now provide millions of dollars of tourism taxes annually to improve New Orleans infrastructure. Our 2024 Impact Report discusses BGR’s contributions to this important new funding, which has little or no cost to taxpayers.