On March 2, 2002, Orleans Parish voters will be asked to decide whether the City Charter should be amended to require voter approval of decisions by the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans (S&WB) to enter into certain privatization contracts.
BGR examines New Orleansâ drainage funding challenges and outlines what any future stormwater proposal must deliver to earn public trust. OVERVIEW New Orleans faces significant and growing drainage challenges that existing funding sources cannot adequately address. The city relies primarily on property taxes to pay for drainage infrastructure, but those taxes have not kept pace […]
This On the Ballot report examines the November 15, 2025, proposed charter amendment on New Orleans’ City Attorney.
This Beyond the Ballot report enhances public transparency and accountability for the 2019 New Orleans bond authorization and helps residents understand its uses and impacts.
The reform and modernization of local government is a lasting legacy of Hurricane Katrina. By envisioning positive change and reforming local government, residents, advocates and policymakers created a better future for Greater New Orleans. BGR is proud to have been a leader in these efforts with our independent, nonpartisan research and monitoring. On the 20th […]
BGR’s Candidate Q&A reports ask the candidates for mayor, City Council and sheriff in the October 11, 2025 primary election to explain how they will address important public policy issues if elected. BGR developed the questions based on our body of research. Many of these issues have close ties to concerns that voters themselves have […]
This letter to New Orleans’ mayor and City Council highlights ways to strengthen the future use of Housing Trust Fund money. In November 2024, New Orleans voters amended the City charter to dedicate annual funding to the trust fund. This amount will equal at least 2% of the City of New Orleans General Fund budget […]
This On the Ballot report informs New Orleans voters in the November 5, 2024, election about a proposal to amend the City charter to require an annual budget appropriation for the Cityâs Housing Trust Fund.
This report analyzes the impact of the 2019 âFair Shareâ deal to direct new tourism dollars to maintain streets, drainage and other infrastructure in New Orleans. BGR finds that the deal is delivering on its promise, with opportunities for improvement.
In a November 28 letter to the City Council, BGR recommends that the council create a formal process to objectively evaluate S&WB funding proposals for the cityâs water, sewer and drainage systems. BGR also recommends that the council develop a stronger framework for oversight that relies more on regular accountability, instead of the councilâs control […]
OVERVIEW These On the Ballot reports inform New Orleans voters about three propositions on the October 14, 2023 ballot: the renewal of a property tax for public school facilities and charter amendments on code enforcement and the City budget process. The Orleans Parish School Board is seeking to renew a property tax of up to 4.97 […]
OVERVIEW This page provides a brief online report and the video recording of BGR’s May 24, 2023 webinar, “Designing City Governments for Success.”
This report connects the flawed governance structure of the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (S&WB) to key problems affecting the cityâs water, sewer and drainage systems and examines potential paths to long-term improvement.
OVERVIEW In this report, BGR provides voters with nonpartisan analysis of a proposal to require New Orleans City Council confirmation of the mayor’s appointments of department heads and authorize the council to confirm certain other administrators.
Overview On the Ballot: New Orleans Bond and Tax Propositions, November 16, 2019 studies three propositions to let the City issue bonds for capital improvements, levy a new tax for maintenance, and levy a new tax on short-term rentals. If voters approve, the City of New Orleans would be able to: Issue up to $500 […]
OVERVIEW This On the Ballot report informs voters on a proposed City of New Orleans charter amendment to change the composition of the Sewerage & Water Boardâs board of directors. On December 8, 2018, New Orleans voters will consider removing one citizen member and adding a City Council representative to the board, who may be […]
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 BGR’s On the Ballot report examines the proposed amendment on the November 18, 2017, ballot to establish the Savings Fund of the City of New Orleans in the City’s home rule charter.
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 Beneath the Surface: A Primer on Stormwater Fees in New Orleans explores a funding mechanism for drainage that is expanding in usage nationwide as an alternative to ad valorem property taxes.
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 Boardâs drainage system.
Overview BGR analyzes a November 8, 2016 proposition that would amend New Orleans’ charter to allow for the permanent separation of the Independent Police Monitor from the Office of Inspector General.
Overview In Itâs the Law: Land Use Decision Making and the Master Plan, BGR provides clarity to recent public planning dialogue in New Orleans over the extent to which the Master Plan has the force of law.
Overview BGR examines two proposed amendments to the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans, one Orleans Parish property tax proposition and two constitutional amendments on the ballot for November 4, 2014. One City charter amendment would incorporate certain professional services contracting reforms made in 2010. The other charter amendment would move the […]
Overview In this release, BGR encourages qualified citizens to volunteer to serve on the newly constituted Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans.
Overview In On the Ballot: October 19, 2013, BGR explains, analyzes and takes positions on three tax propositions on the ballot in Jefferson Parish and two proposed charter amendments in New Orleans, one of which would reform the Sewerage & Water Board. The Jefferson tax propositions are renewals of property taxes for the Jefferson Parish […]
Overview In this release, BGR urges the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans to delay initiating the search for a new executive director until after voters decide on governance reforms.
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 discusses possible amendments to the evolving governance reforms for the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans and recommends improvements.
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 this release, BGR looks at Mayor Landrieuâs proposed governance reforms to the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans, with specific attention to the board member nomination process.
Overview BGR reviews a proposal by the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans to raise water and sewer rates 10% a year for the next eight years. It examines the proposed water and sewer rate increases and their impacts on customers. It also examines the proposed uses of the additional funding and how far […]
Overview In this release, BGR calls on the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans to limit rate increases temporarily to those that are necessary to meet its obligations under the federal consent decree that governs the sewer system. It states that additional increases should be contingent on, and adopted after, the implementation of meaningful […]
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 […]
Overview This edition of Now addresses the proposed funding increases for the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans in the context of necessary governance reforms.
Overview In Making the Waterworks Work: Fixing the Sewerage & Water Board’s Governance Problems, BGR examines how the governance of the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans has contributed to the agency’s problems, presents options for reforms and makes recommendations for change.
Overview BGR examines charter amendments, tax propositions and state constitutional amendments on the October and November 2011 ballots. The October 22 ballot includes a Jefferson Parish charter amendment to establish the Office of Inspector General and an Ethics and Compliance Commission, as well as a related property tax to fund both entities. It also includes […]
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 The Price of Civilization: Addressing Infrastructure Needs in New Orleans, BGR provides information on New Orleans’ core infrastructure needs â including streets, the systems of the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans, schools and the Orleans Parish jail â and assesses the community’s capacity to fund those needs.
Overview With the primary on the way, BGR submitted questions to all mayoral candidates on topics in four areas: the cityâs budget, city services, infrastructure and blight. Four candidates â Rob Couhig, John Georges, Mitch Landrieu and James Perry â responded. BGR is presenting the Q&A to the public in a web-only, four-part series, Questions […]
Overview This BGR release deals with proposed legislation that would require a referendum for approval of the city’s Master Plan. It focuses on three bills, all introduced by New Orleans legislators, that attempt to undermine a charter change approved by New Orleanians seven months ago that clarified and strengthened the planning process in New Orleans.
Overview BGRÂ provides analysis of local propositions as well as amendments to the state constitution appearing on the ballot for November 4, 2008. A proposition in New Orleans would amend the city charter to make comprehensive changes to planning and land use decision making in the city. A proposition in Jefferson Parish would expand the permissible […]
Overview This release calls on the City of New Orleans to conform to charter requirements in producing its capital budget, which is developed by the mayor and reviewed by the New Orleans City Planning Commission and City Council.
Overview As discussed in this report, for more than a year and a half, the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans (S&WB) has actively pursued a procurement for the private management, operation, and maintenance of the S&WBâs water and wastewater systems. This week the S&WB is scheduled to take a critical step in the […]
Overview The new study reassesses the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans (S&WB) selection process in light of developments over the past year and discusses certain critical issues with the S&WBâs proposed service agreement.
Overview On March 2, 2002, Orleans Parish voters will be asked to decide whether the City Charter should be amended to require voter approval of decisions by the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans (S&WB) to enter into certain privatization contracts.
With this report BGR provides voters with an analysis of the arguments for and against the proposed charter amendment allowing a third consecutive term for the New Orleans Mayor and provides BGRâs position. The amendment would change the term limit provision of the City’s home rule charter.
Overview This report analyzes the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans (S&WB) procurement process for private operation and management of its water and sewer systems. In this study BGR addresses two basic questions: (1) Is the S&WBâs proposed procurement structured in a way that maximizes competition and otherwise protects the interests of the citizens […]
In BGR Outlook on Orleans: Privatization of Sewerage and Water Board Operations, BGR reviews the concept of privatizing the operations of the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans. It discusses the S&WB’s structure, financial picture and other issues, and then identifies the issues that should be addressed in a privatization process. It does not take […]
In BGR Outlook on Orleans:Â The Sewerage and Water Board’s Fee Proposal, BGR examines two proposed fees in New Orleans â one for the sewerage system and another for the drainage system.
The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) released a new report today examining the Sewerage & Water Board’s effort to develop a drainage funding proposal that can keep up with New Orleans’ growing needs. At a time when storms are becoming more...
Today the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) released two reports providing independent, nonpartisan analysis to New Orleans voters on propositions in the November 15 election. Early voting begins Saturday, November 1. On the Ballot: $510 Million New Orleans Capital...
Today the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) released Beyond the Ballot: Analyzing Spending and Impacts of the 2019 New Orleans Bond Authorization. The report finds that the City of New Orleans raised a total of $589.6 million for capital improvements...
The New Orleans mayoral election comes at a critical juncture for the Sewerage and Water Board, as agency officials warn the boardâs distressed infrastructure and uncertain funding pose threats to public safety. As election season shifts into high gear,...
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...
Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, BGRâs June 18 Breakfast Briefing discussed the disaster’s lasting impact on local government reformâand what lessons public officials and citizens can use to inspire future change. This event was free to...
The reform and modernization of local government is a lasting legacy of Hurricane Katrina. By envisioning positive change and reforming local government, residents, advocates and policymakers created a better future for Greater New Orleans. BGR is proud to have...
More than 500 local infrastructure projects and repairs were completed in the leadup to Super Bowl LIX, eclipsing a cost of more than $70 million. BGR’s March 26 Breakfast Briefing dove into how this was accomplished, and what lessons...
Early 20th-century novelist Thomas Wolfe wrote, âYou canât go home again.â Dorothy Gale, in “The Wizard of Oz,” though, said, âThereâs no place like home.â Wolfe was wrong and Dorothy was right. Forty years after starting as a sports...
Today, the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) sent a letter to New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and members of the City Council highlighting several ways to strengthen the future use of Housing Trust Fund money. In November, New Orleans...
New Orleans voters on Tuesday (Nov. 5) approved two new amendments to the cityâs charter: one that will add a âworkersâ bill of rightsâ and another that will require the city to set aside millions per year in a...
New Orleans is poised to see a massive influx of taxpayer funding for local affordable housing projects after voters approved a charter amendment during Tuesdayâs election. Over 75 percent of the city voted âyesâ on the amendment, handing supporters...
New Orleans voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly backed a city affordable housing fund and symbolic support for private sector workers, while Jefferson Parish voters agreed to allow city government to fire certain staffers at will. In an election that also...
As the City Councilâs leading advocate on the quest for more affordable housing, District B Councilmember Lesli Harris has a lot at stake in the November 5 Election. Harris is heading up the effort to pass the New Orleans...
Other than the bitterly divisive presidential race, the Nov. 5 ballot features few contested elections in Orleans and Jefferson parishes. In fact, the hottest local item appears to be a proposed City Charter amendment to create permanent local funding...
NEW ORLEANS â City leaders in New Orleans want to allocate a chunk of money from the general fund for affordable housing needs. The proposal is on the ballot in November as Charter Amendment 1. The proposal is to...
NEW ORLEANS â As city and state leaders clash over homeless encampments in New Orleans, Lesli Harris and other city leaders are advocating for a long-term solution thatâs already in the works. That solution, the Housing Trust Fund, is...
Proposition one on the ballot is asking New Orleans voters to approve two percent of the city’s general fund to pay for affordable housing. Click here to review BGR’s report on the ballot proposition.
The Bureau of Governmental Research discussed its report, On the Ballot: New Orleans Housing Trust Fund, November 5, 2024 Election, on The Good Morning Show on WBOK 1230 AM. Click here to watch the segment.
While the presidential race is still very much a toss-up, some winners are already certain when the votes are counted in New Orleans on Nov. 5: advocates of affordable housing and persons in need of housing assistance. The New...
I love New Orleans. I love the architecture, the arts, the culture, the food, the music, the people. I love our gumbo population, with its strong Black base. But there’s no denying that some of my city’s neighborhoods have...
It is no secret that New Orleans is facing a housing crisis. Like many other cities across the nation, New Orleans is contending with a decreasing supply of low-cost housing coupled with cost-of-living increases across the board. The city...
Voters in New Orleans will see two proposed city charter amendments on the Nov. 5 ballot, with early voting beginning Friday. Here are the Times-Picayuneâs recommendations. Home Rule Charter Amendment No. 1: No The bad news is that New...
Members of the River District consortium and other New Orleans developers are the main financial backers of a November ballot initiative that would direct millions of city tax dollars annually to affordable housing projects. New Orleans developer Louis Lauricella,...
Tommy hears from BGR and from Councilmember Lesli Harris about affordable housing. Click here to listen. Click here to read BGR’s On the Ballot report.
NEW ORLEANS (Oct. 12, 2024) â The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) expressed concern this week regarding a proposed charter amendment in New Orleans that would mandate a minimum annual budget allocation of 2% of the Cityâs General Fund...
Affordable housing is getting harder to find in New Orleans, and city leaders want to put millions in taxpayer dollars toward solving the issue. Residents will see a question on their ballot on Election Day asking them to vote...
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) â New Orleans voters will decide whether to dedicate millions of local tax dollars to affordable housing. The proposition will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot. According to a 2024 report from the National Low Income...
NEW ORLEANS (press release) â District âBâ Councilmember Lesli Harris, who chairs the Quality of Life Committee and has been an advocate for affordable housing, issued the following statement in response to BGRâs new report on the Housing Trust...
Construction is set to begin on a blighted, century-old firehouse on Louisiana Avenue that will become New Orleansâ first city-owned property to include both affordable housing units and an early childhood education center, city leaders said Wednesday. As part...
NEW ORLEANS (press release) â The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) has released an On the Ballot report analyzing a proposed charter amendment in the Nov. 5 New Orleans election. The proposition would require an annual budget appropriation for...
A good government group has come out in opposition to a plan that would dedicate millions in public funding to affordable housing programs each year if approved by New Orleans voters this November. According to a report released Wednesday...
Today, the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) releases an On the Ballot report analyzing a proposed charter amendment in the November 5 New Orleans election. The proposition would require an annual budget appropriation for the City’s Housing Trust Fund equal to at least...
Itâs a problem New Orleanians know all too well: Housing costs in the city have skyrocketed in recent years, forcing long-time residents to cheaper suburbs and shrinking the cityâs tax base. Past efforts to help people with their rent...
New Orleans’ drainage and power infrastructure has just secured funding for a much needed upgrade that will address the city’s issues with unsafe water and flash flooding. “Frequent boil water advisories and major flash flooding events such as those...
New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board Director Ghassan Korban said Tuesday the cityâs pumping and drainage system is in a âgood placeâ ahead of Francine. Ninety of 99 drainage pumps are working across its 24 pumping stations, he said,...
Today, the Bureau of Governmental Research hosted its fourth and final Breakfast Briefing of the year. Our speaker was Ghassan Korban, Executive Director of the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans. Mr. Korban provided an update on the...
Five years after New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell struck a historic deal to direct tourism-related taxes to city infrastructure needs, a good government watchdog finds that her âfair shareâ arrangement has delivered needed recurring funding for critical infrastructure projects. The...
This article is no longer available online. Please review BGR’s report here: https://www.bgr.org/report-index/bgr-analyzes-impact-of-fair-share-deal-for-new-orleans-infrastructure/
NEW ORLEANS â This week, the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR), Â a private, nonprofit, independent research organization dedicated to informed public policy making and the effective use of public resources, released a detailed report assessing the impact of the...
Today, the Bureau of Governmental Research released a report analyzing the impact of the 2019 âFair Shareâ deal to direct new tourism dollars to maintain streets, drainage and other infrastructure in New Orleans. BGR finds that the deal between the City...
THUMBS UP The Bureau of Governmental Research, a nonprofit public policy watchdog based in New Orleans, recently won three awards at the Governmental Research Association national conference. BGR won two awards for communications as well as the Most Distinguished...
The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) won three awards from its peer organizations in the Governmental Research Association (GRA) at its national conference July 21-23 in Asheville, N.C. BGRâs 2023 report calling for governance reforms for the Sewerage and...
Renata Young blocks her front door with sandbags when it rains. During a recent downpour, the water near her home in Treme was pooled ankle-high above each of the blockâs four overwhelmed catch basins. More than three years ago,...
After focusing on âthe frequent failuresâ of the cityâs Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans, Gov. Jeff Landryâs task force released recommendations to improve the cityâs water and drainage services. âIf there were a citywide confidence/no confidence vote...
A New Orleans lawmaker late Tuesday submitted a bill that would make sweeping changes to how the Sewerage & Water Board is governed, shifting power from Mayor LaToya Cantrell towards state and local officials who would temporarily oversee reforms...
A New Orleans-based lawmaker filed legislation late Tuesday to dismiss the local overseers of the beleaguered Sewerage and Water Board in favor of a temporary board made up of state and local officials, a drastic step recommended by Gov....
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – The man in charge of the day-to-day operations of the New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board told the City Council on Tuesday (April 2) that he objects to an oversight board proposed by Gov. Jeff...
NEW ORLEANS â The Bureau of Governmental Research is raising what they call significant concerns with a proposed plan to overhaul the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board. Gov. Jeff Landry appointed a task force to create a plan...
In early 2024, Gov. Jeff Landry formed a Task Force to review the billing, governing structure, and management and organizational structure of the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans. Click the links below to access BGR’s comments to...
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – The task force appointed by Governor Jeff Landry to look at the myriad of issues with Sewerage and Water Board released its final, 24-page report detailing potential solutions to issues with billing, infrastructure maintenance, drainage,...
Gov. Jeff Landryâs task force to reform the long-troubled New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board met for the third and final time on Thursday, and the overall remedy that members seemed to most agree on wonât shock anyone: the...
Tommy talks to Becky Mowbray, President and CEO of BGR, about the Sewerage and Water Board, its governance problems, and BGR’s recommendations.
Outrageous water bills, flood-damaged property and unpaid court judgments were among the many frustrations about the Sewerage and Water Board rattled off by residents Thursday evening at the second public meeting of Gov. Jeff Landryâs task force to reform...
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Governor Jeff Landryâs special task force examining issues with the Sewerage and Water Board met for the second time Thursday evening to discuss billing and governance, and to hear from the public for the first...
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has faced criticism for taking too many trips around the globe on the taxpayerâs dime. But more troubling to us is that even when Cantrell is present, she canât seem to focus her administration...
New Orleans City Council members are pressing forward with plans to enshrine an unprecedented local investment in affordable housing into the City Charter, a move aimed at expanding programs to help first-time homebuyers, rehab rental units and provide financial...
Click the video on this webpage to watch the news story. Click here to explore BGR’s recommendations on improving the governance of the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans. Scroll down to the bottom of that page to...
In his latest move to reshape New Orleans, Gov. Jeff Landry is launching a task force to investigate what he called “the frequent failures” of the Sewerage & Water Board and propose broad changes to the long-derided utility that...
NEW ORLEANS â Just days after an intense rainstorm caused yet another round of flooding, a push is under way to collect stormwater fees from nearly every property owner in the city â including those with exemptions who havenât...
After two recent whiffs in persuading the City Council to approve new revenue proposals, the Sewerage & Water Board is preparing yet another pitch to raise money for nearly $1 billion in deferred drainage upgrades. This time, utility officials...
The Nov. 28 column by former mayor Sidney Barthelemy and assessor Erroll Williams makes some vital points about the need to review the City of New Orleansâ governing structure. At the Bureau of Governmental Research, we want local government...
Since Jeff Landry won the Louisiana governor’s race, New Orleans political circles have been abuzz with the question of what the relationship might look like between the Democratic city and the Republican governor-elect. Eyebrows raised last month ago when...
NEW ORLEANS â From the Bureau of Governmental Research: At the end of this week, the New Orleans City Council will reset property tax rates based on the recent rise in property assessments. The Sewerage and Water Board (S&WB)...
In a November 28 letter to the New Orleans City Council, BGR expressed concern that the council does not have a formal process to evaluate funding requests from the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (S&WB). The lack...
Housing advocates and City Council members were surprised when they opened up Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s proposed 2024 budget to find a line item theyâd worked long and hard for missing. Staffing to enforce new tenant protections and landlord accountability...
The New Orleans City Council this week is flexing its new confirmation powers in the hiring process for top administration officials. Driving the news: Council members on Thursday will decide whether the city should hire Anne Kirkpatrick, Mayor LaToya...
NEW ORLEANS â From the Bureau of Governmental Research: New Orleans voters will head to the polls on Saturday to vote in several prominent races, including one for Louisianaâs next governor. But they will also decide three important local...
Louisianans head to the polls Saturday to vote in the gubernatorial primary. Why it matters: Just about every statewide office is up for grabs, so voters will make a big impact on the state’s direction for the next several...
BGR President and CEO Rebecca Mowbray discussed BGR’s reports on the October 14, 2023, ballot propositions with WWL Radio host Tommy Tucker. Audio recording not available online.
New Orleans voters heading to the polls Oct. 14 will punch ballots for governor, the legislature and several other state and local elected positions. They’ll also see three citywide ballot measures, one aimed at renewing tax funding for school...
This year, Louisiana voters are once again being asked to weigh in on a number of policy issues. At the state level, lawmakers have proposed four amendments to the Louisiana constitution, while here in Orleans Parish voters will be...
Excerpt: PW HRC Amendment Prop. No. 1 of 2 â Art. VI, Sec. 6-102 & 6-104 â CCShall Article VI, Sections 6-102 and 6-104 of the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans be amended to move...
Today, the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) releases three On the Ballot reports for the October 14 election. The reports are intended to help New Orleans voters make informed decisions on three separate propositions: a property tax renewal for...
The Bureau of Governmental Research has published Spanish and Vietnamese translations of its recent report summaries on the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans in an effort to reach more residents concerned about the utilityâs governance issues. This...
NEW ORLEANS â The Bureau of Governmental Research has released Spanish and Vietnamese translations of a new report about the future of the Sewerage and Water Board. BGRâs goal is to reach a broader audience of residents concerned about significant...
New Orleans residents concerned about the future of the Sewerage and Water Board, but whose primary language is Spanish or Vietnamese, can now access translated summaries of the Bureau of Governmental Researchâs new report on this topic. BGRâs goal...
Today, the Bureau of Governmental Research presented a webinar, entitled “Designing City Governments for Success.” This event featured two national experts on municipal forms of government, Dr. Kimberly Nelson of the University of North Carolina’s School of Government and...
There are wonders of the ancient world. There are wonders of the modern world. There are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There are also Civil Engineering Historic Landmarks, a designation given by the American Society of Civil Engineers to recognize...
NEW ORLEANS (press release) â The Bureau of Governmental Research will host a free lunchtime webinar, titled âDesigning City Governments for Success,â from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 24 CST. During the Zoom webinar, attendees will learn about...
Inevitably, impossibly, New Orleans lives with water. âWith,â though, is a flexible term that, for more than 100 years, has been substantially informed by an engineering marvel: the cityâs drainage system. Administered primarily by the Sewage and Water Board...
Joe Giarrusso joins Tommy to talk about the Sewerage and Water Board and the changes it’s going to see. Click here to listen to the interview. To access BGR’s report on the S&WB that they discuss in the interview,...
Click the video above to listen to the interview. To access BGR’s report, click here.
Rebecca Mowbray and Jamie Parker joins Newell to talk about (BGR) publishing a report earlier this week, called âWaterworks in Progress: Reassessing the Sewerage & Water Boardâs Governance Problems and Potential Paths to Long-Term Improvement.’ Click here to listen...
Becky Mowbray and Stephen Stuart join Tommy to talk about the New Orleans S&WB and how their issues need changes. Click here to listen to the interview. To access BGR’s report, visit this page on our website.
NEW ORLEANS â On May 17, the Bureau of Governmental Research released a report that says the Sewerage & Water Board has got to change its ways. The entityâs current governance structure is preventing the S&WB from resolving the...
In a scathing new report, New Orleans watchdog group the Bureau of Governmental Research called for a complete overhaul of the governance structure of the New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board. The report, released Wednesday (May 17), blames the...
NEW ORLEANS â The Bureau of Governmental Research, a nonpartisan independent research group, released a 52-page report outlining what they believe is coming between the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans and better service. But will the solutions...
The New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board is overseen by a board controlled by the mayor. Its funding is determined by the City Council, and it is regulated by the Louisiana Legislatureâs laws. That serving of three masters is...
Click image to watch this report. Click here to access BGR’s report.
NEW ORLEANS â The Bureau of Governmental Research says the way that Sewerage and Water Board is governed is creating key problems for the city’s water, sewer and drainage systems. BGRâs latest report states that the S&WBâs current governance...
NEW ORLEANS â The Bureau of Governmental Research, a research nonprofit, released its findings on the New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board, proposing a multitude of changes to the board’s governance and structure. BGR highlighted three key points in...
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – The Sewerage and Water Board is hamstrung by bureaucratic inefficiencies and competing interests, and will continue struggling unless its âflawedâ governance structure is reconfigured, a nonprofit analyst group said in a report issued Wednesday (May...
Today the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) releases a new report that connects the flawed governance structure of the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (S&WB) to key problems affecting the cityâs water, sewer and drainage systems. Highlights...
New Orleans voters on Tuesday approved an amendment to New Orleansâ home rule charter to require the mayor to get approval from the City Council before hiring certain department heads, such as the superintendent of the NOPD or the...
New Orleans voters on Tuesday night approved a significant change to how City Hall officials are appointed, setting up a new system that empowers the City Council to confirm or deny the mayor’s picks to run key departments. The...
One of the hottest citywide contests on the Nov. 8 ballot doesnât feature candidates. Itâs a proposed change to the New Orleans City Charter that asks voters to decide whether mayor-appointed department heads should be subject to City Council...
New Orleans voters will determine Nov. 8 whether to alter the balance of power at City Hall by giving the City Council authority to approve or reject mayor-appointed department heads. The proposed charter amendment would end the unilateral right...
Itâs difficult to separate the proposed New Orleans City Charter amendment from recent headlines over the City Councilâs ongoing battles with Mayor LaToya Cantrell â including over the proposal itself, which Cantrell vetoed and the council overrode to put...
The Nov. 8 ballot contains a proposed change to the New Orleans City Charter and eight proposed state constitutional amendments. Early voting starts Tuesday, Oct. 25, and continues through Nov. 1. Below are our recommendations on those propositions. City...
The non-partisan research group the Bureau of Governmental Research released a report this week in support of a Nov. 8 ballot measure that would require the mayor to get approval from the New Orleans City Council before hiring department...
NEW ORLEANS â From the Bureau of Governmental Research: On Oct. 17, BGR released a new report titled On the Ballot: New Orleans Charter Amendment, November 8, 2022. The report is intended to help New Orleans voters make an informed...
Today, the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) releases a new report, On the Ballot: New Orleans Charter Amendment, November 8, 2022. The report is intended to help New Orleans voters make an informed decision on whether to require the...
Over on Webster Street, Ellis Arjmand canât drive to his house without going the wrong way down the one-way road thanks to a giant hole in the middle of the intersection at Webster and Perrier. Heâs been watching the...
In recent weeks, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has ramped up her campaign to convince voters to approve a plan to reallocate millions of dollars in property taxes, which will appear as three separate ballot propositions on the Dec....
Read Part 1: Fulfilling the mission. The OIG faced a series of challenges beginning in 2015. While the Office remained highly productive and continued to release credible and well-respected reports, the cumulative effect of these challenges diverted attention from...
Citizens in New Orleans who plan to vote in Saturday’s election can inform their decisions with BGR’s report, On the Ballot: New Orleans Bond and Tax Propositions, November 16, 2019. The report examines three separate propositions that would authorize...
Since taking office in May 2018, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has searched far and wide for more money to fund the city’s pressing infrastructure needs, winning a big victory this spring when state officials and the tourism industry...
The topic of the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans is a contentious one. In the past two years, people have lost their homes and their vehicles due to the flooding of portions of the town. Yet, when...
November 16th, New Orleans residents will vote on three different propositions, all that would allow the city to use those dollars to improve local infrastructure. âThis touches basic civics services, and if we want a better quality of life...
In a report released Tuesday, the non-partisan Bureau for Governmental Research (BGR) has endorsed three ballot propositions that would collectively generate millions of dollars in both annual and one-time funding, most of which would be spent on infrastructure projects....
Mayor LaToya Cantrellâs top public works aides offered a roadmap Tuesday for the hundreds of millions of dollars they plan to spend on streets, drainage, parks and other infrastructure in coming years, even as they cautioned that much of...
In 2-1/2 weeks New Orleans voters will be asked to consider three new tax measures that city officials say, would generate more than $520 million a year for capital improvements and infrastructure needs. The Bureau of Governmental Research came...
The Bureau of Governmental Research is backing three ballot initiatives aimed at increasing city funding for infrastructure that Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s administration is putting before the voters on Nov. 16. Cantrell is asking voters to impose a new sales...
Today BGR releases On the Ballot: New Orleans Bond and Tax Propositions, November 16, 2019. The report analyzes three separate propositions that would authorize the City of New Orleans (City) to: Issue up to $500 million in bonds for...
New Orleans will receive tens of millions of dollars to replace antiquated sewage pipes, fix faulty drainage pumps and mend pothole-filled roads, mostly by levying higher taxes on visitors, after the state Senate on Sunday gave final approval to...
NEW ORLEANS â The year was 1919. The rotary telephone hit the market, the Grand Canyon became a national park, prohibition was the law of the land and most of the pipes under New Orleansâ streets were brand new....
The Sewerage & Water Board has released a new interactive map that shows the location and age of underground water pipes across New Orleans. The map, published on the Sewerage & Water Boardâs website, comes with a search function...
In his first detailed public remarks since city officials wrung millions of dollars for New Orleans infrastructure out of the state and the tourism industry, Sewerage & Water Board Executive Director Ghassan Korban on Tuesday laid out his initial plans...
Today, Ghassan Korban, executive director of the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans, presented at a BGR Breakfast Briefing on the state of the utility. BGR expresses its appreciation to Mr. Korban and to our attendees for their...
Three new directors have joined the 11-member panel tasked with overseeing the Sewerage & Water Board. The additions follow a recent law change that called for vacating nearly all board seats this year along with adding a New Orleans City Council member. The new...
Less than a month away from the start of the 2019 legislative session, Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s legislative agenda is being shaped by her push to divert millions of tax dollars from state-sponsored tourism and sports agencies to helping meet New...
Two groups â one created by the mayor and the governor, the other consisting of tourism and business leaders working behind the scenes â are zeroing in on sources of money that could help address the New Orleans Sewerage & Water...
With the Louisiana Legislature convening in exactly one month, the first proposals focused on raising more money for New Orleans road and Sewerage & Water Board repairs have begun to take shape. The chances for major success, though, appear slim at this point,...
This year agencies in New Orleans charged with overseeing the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, running the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and promoting tourism in the city will do so with the help of more than $160 million in tax dollars....
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has signaled she wants $75 million for city infrastructure repairs straight from the Ernest N. Morial Convention Centerâs reserve account, tapping money from hotel tax revenues that Gov. John Bel Edwards, key state lawmakers and tourism industry leaders have said should be...
Mayor LaToya Cantrell on Thursday gave the clearest outline yet of her vision for plugging budget holes at the cash-strapped Sewerage & Water Board, a plan that banks heavily on the city’s tourism and sports industries providing an upfront...
The New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board is in desperate need of money for critical infrastructure projects and should start charging a new stormwater fee to pay for longer-term upgrades to the city’s drainage system, a report from a...
Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser doesnât think New Orleans hotel tax revenue should be redirected from state marketing, tourism and sports-related organizations to deal with the cityâs drainage issues. His perspective, which he shared with the Baton Rouge Press Club on Monday...
In her push to find money to improve New Orleansâ decrepit infrastructure, Mayor LaToya Cantrell is targeting a share of the $160 million in sales and hotel taxes that are collected each year to promote the tourism industry. The...
Since his first few weeks on the job as executive director of the Sewerage & Water Board, Ghassan Korban has sought to warm New Orleanians to the idea that the floundering agency needs more of their money. Itâs apparently...
New Orleans Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson Palmer warned this week that she would not support any new fee levied on residents and businesses to raise money for the cityâs drainage system unless itâs paid fairly by everyone in the city and nixes exemptions...
New Orleans voters have chosen to slightly reel back a change they made five years ago to the makeup of the Sewerage & Water Board. After removing three City Council members in 2013, a proposal approved Saturday (Dec. 8) with...
To change who oversees the Sewerage & Water Board or not to change it? That question is on the ballot for New Orleans voters to decide Saturday (Dec. 8). The matter depends on whether to add a New Orleans City Councilmember or designee back...
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Drainage issues, boil water advisories and complaints about inflated water bills have thrust the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board into the headlines. On Saturday, voters will cast ballots on a proposed City Charter amendment...
New Orleans voters will decide Saturday whether to approve a City Charter change that would return City Council representation to the Sewerage & Water Board and strengthen rules surrounding reports the agency is supposed to make to elected officials....
The Sewerage and Water Board oversees most of the water and drainage in the city. Itâs faced lots of problems in recent years, including the floods in the summer of 2017, which revealed that many of the pumps and...
NEW ORLEANS — Tensions were already running high in mid-August when the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board resumed shutting off water service to some customers who had not paid their bills. The Board indicated it had no choice...
In a Dec. 2 editorial titled, âNo on adding a council representative to S&WB,â the Times-Picayune editorial board quotes a recent Bureau of Governmental Research report. The BGR says, âThe council has recently taken steps to strengthen its regulatory oversight of the...
The Times-Picayune Editorial Board makes the following recommendation for the Dec. 8 election. SEWERAGE & WATER BOARD PROPOSITION To amend New Orleansâ Home Rule Charter to change the membership of the Sewerage & Water Board to remove one citizen member and add...
This Saturday, Dec. 8, is Election Day in Louisiana. The ballot includes a statewide runoff for Secretary of State and many local runoffs and referenda. In New Orleans, voters will decide the fate of a proposed City Charter amendment...
Early voting begins Saturday, Nov. 24 and runs through Dec. 1 for the Dec. 8 elections across Louisiana, including several runoffs. Early voting is available every day except Sunday, Nov. 25. Voting hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m....
A proposal voters will consider next month to restore a City Council representative to the Sewerage & Water Board’s governing board has rustled up a familiar opponent: the Bureau of Governmental Research. The nonpartisan watchdog group said adding any...
Gov. John Bel Edwards on Monday said definitively that he will not support a plan by Mayor LaToya Cantrell to move some of the cityâs hotel tax to the Sewerage & Water Boardâs drainage system, which agency leaders recently...
A charter amendment on the Dec. 8 ballot would make changes in the membership of the group that oversees the aging and ailing infrastructure of the Sewerage and Water Board. We urge voters to reject the proposal, although it...
New Orleans voters will decide next month whether to return a New Orleans City Council member to the Sewerage & Water Boardâs 11-person board of directors. Ahead of that vote, the watchdog Bureau of Governmental Research issued a report Thursday (Nov. 14) reiterating its position...
Today the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) releases a report to inform voters on a proposed City of New Orleans charter amendment to change the composition of the Sewerage & Water Board’s board of directors. On December 8, 2018,...
A plan by New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell to ask state lawmakers to shift some hotel taxes from tourism to the ailing infrastructure of the Sewerage & Water Board was dealt a major, and likely fatal, blow on Tuesday...
Let New Orleans drown in water and red ink or stop giving special interests money to finance their real-life Monopoly game? It should be a no-brainer for Louisiana lawmakers. Earlier this month, Mayor LaToya Cantrell executed a campaign promise...
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell built her political career by being a disruptor, and she won election with 60 percent of the vote, so clearly thatâs a quality her constituents wanted in their new leader. Her disruptive side was...
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell is poised to meet with hotel and tourism industry leaders this week to broach potential tweaks to the existing occupancy tax dedication structure amid a funding shortfall for city drainage infrastructure improvements. Tens of millions of dollars flow to a handful of tourism,...
Louisiana state Senate President John Alario on Friday threw cold water on Mayor LaToya Cantrellâs tentative plan to try to shift tax revenue away from local tourism agencies to help pay for improving New Orleansâ antiquated drainage, water and sewerage systems....
Mayor LaToya Cantrell outlined tentative plans Thursday to shift some tax revenue away from various local tourism, sports and marketing agencies to improve New Orleansâ crippled drainage and water systems. Cantrell said she would ask state lawmakers, presumably during...
Mayor LaToya Cantrell says she held private conversations with Sewerage & Water Board members just to keep them informed after controversial pay raises for top officials became public. The conversations were “independent calls” that were “very intentional only to inform, but...
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell on Tuesday (Sept. 18) defended her decision to hold at least one private phone call with members of the Sewerage & Water Board’s board of directors about pay raises for top utility officials — a call that some local attorneys...
The start of hurricane season always raises our collective anxiety level a bit. South Louisianians have to be on guard between June 1 and Nov. 30 — it’s a fact of life this close to the Gulf of Mexico....
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell held a news conference on Tuesday (May 22) to level with the public about the city’s flood risk and to outline how her administration is trying to “unclog” funding sources to mitigate risk. Cantrell said she...
NEW ORLEANS, LA (WVUE) – Fixing the Sewerage and Water Board may be one of the toughest jobs in the city. Friday’s heavy rain and flooding was a reminder of the importance of effective pumps and drainage. Monday residents...
NOTE: Gov John Bel Edwards signed this bill on May 20. A bill that would return New Orleans City Council representation back to the Sewerage & Water Board breezed through the 2018 state legislative session and is on the desk of Gov. John Bel Edwards for his signature. Sponsored...
NEW ORLEANS, LA (WVUE) – A bill in the State Legislature to place a member of the New Orleans City Council back on the troubled Sewerage and Water Board moves closer to final approval. But the Bureau of Governmental...
Adding a New Orleans City Council member back to the Sewerage & Water Board could “create a false sense of security” along with conflicts of interest for the struggling utility, according to a report released Monday (April 9) by the Bureau of Governmental Research....
Today the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) releases City Council Members Should Regulate, Not Govern, S&WB. The release addresses a bill that would, among other things, allow a member of the New Orleans City Council to sit on the Sewerage &...
The Bureau of Governmental Research has come out against a proposal to restore representation from the New Orleans City Council on the Sewerage & Water Board. Instead, the nonpartisan think tank recommended in a lengthy statement released Monday that the...
On some days, you need nerves of steel to drive down Louisiana Avenue during rush hour. Itâs one of several arteries torn up under a $2 billion effort to improve drainage in Orleans and Jefferson parishes under the Southeast...
The Sewerage & Water Board will open the new year facing both a federal audit of its post-Hurricane Katrina spending and a $56.6 million deficit in its funding for drainage projects. Though unrelated, the two new revelations show continuing...
There are several issues and races on the ballot throughout south Louisiana for today’s election, including a statewide contest to pick the next treasurer and a high-profile race for mayor in New Orleans. We urge everyone to go to...
New Orleans voters have agreed to create a safety net for the city’s finances, establishing a “rainy day” fund with a charter change that gained citywide approval Saturday (Nov. 18). The city will be required to set aside for emergencies...
In 7 1/2 years, together with the City Council and the people of New Orleans, we have righted the ship of government. Today, our financial house is stronger, going from a budget deficit to a budget surplus, and our...
NEW ORLEANS, LA (WVUE) – The unexpected July and August outraged many people in the city and revealed deficiencies in the drainage system. Come 2018, either Latoya Cantrell or Desiree Charbonnet will have a lot of say at the...
When Mayor Mitch Landrieu and a new City Council took office in May 2010, New Orleans was broke. The mayor and council took drastic measures to put the city’s fiscal house in order, and those tough choices have, for...
WDSU-TV’s New Orleans mayoral debate on Tuesday (Oct. 3) was a careful, plodding affair with almost no friction between the candidates, and a list of boilerplate questions that did little to differentiate the candidates from one another. Anchorman Scott Walker, the...
Six leading New Orleans mayoral candidates vowed this week to keep the troubled Sewerage & Water Board under city management, but said they would appoint expert overseers or modernize the agency so that crises like this week’s 24-hour boil-water...
In the midst of new concerns about the reliability of the Sewerage & Water Boardâs drainage system and longstanding complaints about broken streets and other infrastructure, City Councilwoman LaToya Cantrell is proposing to direct $84 million a year toward...
Mayor Mitch Landrieu is in the early stages of a plan to put a stormwater management fee proposal before the New Orleans City Council to help pay for improvements to the city’s troubled drainage system. Similar fees are in place in 39...
An emergency management team led by former Louisiana Recovery Authority director Paul Rainwater took over the Sewerage & Water Board last week. In addition to Mr. Rainwater, who helped get the state’s post-Katrina recovery on track, the team includes experts in...
As state Sen. J.P. Morrell, D-New Orleans, has watched the New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board endure withering accusations of being asleep at the switch as the city’s drainage system crumbled, his frustration has grown. At the center of the storm are revelations...
The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) won two awards from the Governmental Research Association (GRA) at its national conference July 16-18, 2017, in Salt Lake City. BGR won the Outstanding Policy Achievement award for the 2013 report Sound the...
New Orleans’ ambitious plan to pour billions of dollars into fixing its crumbling streets is already behind schedule before it has really gotten started. The city had expected to accept bids by the end of July on the first 30...
New Orleans property owners are venting their frustration after finding a second property tax bill for 2017 in their mailboxes this week. The reason: Voters on Dec. 10 approved a new property tax millage for fire protection and renewed a tax...
This week on All Things New Orleans, we spoke with representatives of the Global Livingston Institute about their annual iKnow Concert Series in Uganda. Dr. Andrew Ward and Tom Larson, Chairman and Musical Director, both urge New Orleans artists...
The New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board should consider levying usage fees to pay for the upkeep of its drainage system rather than relying on the property taxes that now fund the system, according to a new report from...
Tuesday (Jan. 31) was the deadline for New Orleans property owners to pay their 2017 taxes, but they can expect another bill in the coming months. The reason: Voters on Dec. 10 approved a new property tax millage for...
