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 for a New Mayor. Read the four-part series:
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 […]
In this report, BGR examines three separate propositions on the November 15, 2025, ballot that would authorize the City of New Orleans to borrow a total of $510 million for capital improvements.
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.
This BGR NOW report re-emphasizes key recommendations to help preserve and strengthen the City of New Orleansâs financial health.
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 report discusses City of New Orleans financial practices that are out of step with recommendations by government finance experts and calls for improvements.
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 […]
This BGR NOW report urges the City of New Orleans and the Orleans Parish Sheriff to resolve a long-running disagreement over funding the jail. The dispute flared anew last fall when the City Council denied the Sheriffâs request for a $12.4 million funding increase. Voters subsequently rejected a Sheriffâs Office proposal to increase its property […]
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 […]
Today, BGR sent a letter to the mayor and the New Orleans City Council urging greater planning and public reporting for the City of New Orleansâ use of its primary financial reserve. The City Councilâs budget committee is meeting tomorrow, May 23, to consider more than $73 million in appropriations from this reserve, called the […]
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 letter to the Jefferson Parish Council, BGR recommends ways in which the council can improve planning and public reporting for one-time spending made possible by the receipt of federal pandemic relief funds through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). In June 2022, the council allocated the Parishâs $84 million of ARPA funds […]
OVERVIEW In this report, BGR explores how the City of New Orleans has deployed pandemic relief funds it received through the federal American Rescue Plan Act, and what impacts this unprecedented one-time money had on City finances and budget priorities.
OVERVIEW In this release, Handle with Care: Public Planning and Accountability Must Guide Spending of Federal Relief Funds, BGR offers guidance to government entities on harnessing the opportunities presented by unprecedented federal funding to spur recovery from the pandemicâs economic, fiscal and health impacts.
OVERVIEW On the Ballot: New Orleans Property Tax Propositions, December 5, 2020 analyzes three propositions to replace several City of New Orleans property taxes that expire at the end of 2021. The replacement taxes would have the same combined rate of 5.82 mills as the existing taxes. However, the propositions would change the tax dedications. […]
OVERVIEW Welcome to the inaugural edition of PolicyWatch, a periodic newsletter that draws on BGRâs body of independent, nonpartisan research to address current public policy issues. This edition focuses on the City of New Orleansâ finances as it faces a pandemic-induced budget deficit. It discusses the Cityâs proposal to borrow up to $100 million as […]
OVERVIEW As the City Council reviews the proposed $722 million 2020 operating budget, BGR Now: A Framework for Assessing New Orleans’ Proposed 2020 Budget outlines key findings of BGR’s recent City budget study to help inform citizens and policymakers. BGRâs study, A Look Back to Plan Ahead, analyzes growth in revenues and changes in expenditures […]
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 A Look Back to Plan Ahead: Analyzing Past New Orleans Budgets to Guide Funding Priorities reviews a decade of City General Fund budgets. It also lays a foundation for examining potential opportunities to reallocate revenue to critical needs.
Questions for a New Parish Council is the second in a two-part 2019 Candidate Q&A Election Series providing the views of candidates for Jefferson Parish government on important public policy issues, such as tax dedications and contracting. Questions for a New Parish Council provides voters with the candidatesâ answers to 16 questions developed from BGRâs […]
Questions for a New Parish President is the first in a two-part 2019 Candidate Q&A Election Series providing the views of candidates for Jefferson Parish president on important public policy issues affecting Parish government. Questions for a New Parish President provides voters with the candidatesâ answers to 16 questions developed from BGRâs body of research. […]
In this letter to the Mayor and City Council, BGR suggests the City of New Orleans develop a strategy to requalify for tax-exempt status for future bond issues. This would save interest costs for taxpayers financing infrastructure and other capital projects. Discovering the Issue While conducting research for a report on the Cityâs budget, BGR […]
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 Paying for Streets: Options for Funding Road Maintenance in New Orleans explores ways to fund the routine maintenance necessary to safeguard the Cityâs $2 billion, once-in-a-lifetime capital investment in the street network.
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 studies four dedicated taxes up for renewal on the December 10, 2016 in Jefferson Parish: a sales tax for parish sewerage, road and drainage projects, law enforcement and municipal governments in Jefferson; and three property taxes for parish drainage, recreation and public schools.
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 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 This On the Ballot report informs voters in the October 24, 2015 election about a proposed quarter-cent sales tax for public safety in New Orleansâ French Quarter and a constitutional amendment allowing the State of Louisiana to invest in an infrastructure bank.
Overview BGR reviews a proposed property tax for the upkeep of public school facilities in New Orleans and 11 propositions to amend the Jefferson Parish charter that voters will decide on December 6, 2014. The charter propositions relate to: Modifying the Jefferson Parish Council’s authority to investigate parish affairs Limiting the outside employment of the […]
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 […]
On July 22, 2014, hundreds of citizens and a number of government officials turned up at a citywide meeting hosted by the Fix My Streets campaign and the Lakeview Civic Improvement Association to discuss options for addressing New Orleansâ bumpy street network. The dialogue centered on the need to determine the condition of city streets, […]
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 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 In this letter to the members of the New Orleans Civil Service Commission, BGR supports the concept proposed by the City administration to amend the Civil Service rule related to layoffs, but raises concerns about certain aspects of the amendment.
Overview On November 24, BGR sent a letter to the Mayor and City Council on the proposed 2011 budget for the City of New Orleans. The letter contains suggestions that would free up millions of dollars.
Overview Inside Outsourcing: A Year in the Life of City Contracting builds from an analysis of hundreds of City contracts in effect during 2009 to provide a broad overview of City contracting and discuss key problem areas that require the attention of the current administration and the New Orleans City Council.
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 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 Contracting with Confidence: Professional Services Contracting Reform in New Orleans presents a new model to improve contract administration in City government and restore faith in the contracting process.
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 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 Street Smarts: Maintaining and Managing New Orleansâ Road Network provides an overview of street management systems in general and examines the challenges New Orleans faces in maintaining its streets. It concludes with recommendations to improve street maintenance and management in New Orleans.
Overview Mending the Urban Fabric: Blight in New Orleans is a two-part series analyzing blighted property programs and recommending reforms. In Part I, BGR addressed the structure, goals and strategy of New Orleans’ blight remediation programs. Now, in Part II, BGR focuses on code enforcement and procedures for successful redevelopment.
Overview Mending the Urban Fabric: Blight in New Orleans is a two-part series analyzing blighted property programs and recommending reforms. Here, in Part I, BGR addresses the structure, goals and strategy of New Orleans’ blight remediation programs. In Part II, BGR focuses on code enforcement and procedures for successful redevelopment.
Overview BGR has been conducting extensive research on blighted property issues and blight remediation programs in New Orleans and is preparing a study for future publication. Drawing on that research, it is also responding to current developments. On December 11, BGR sent a letter to the City’s Office of Recovery Management recommending changes to local […]
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 This release raises concerns about proposed budget approvals for the New Orleans Office of Recovery Management’s plans in advance of a public vetting of those plans. New Orleans recovery planning process following Hurricane Katrina requires transparency and public input.
Overview In Budgeting in a Time of Crisis: A Review of the City of New Orleansâ 2007 Budgets, BGR examines the Cityâs operating and capital budgets for 2007, the second fiscal year following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Overview On September 30, Louisiana voters were asked to approve 13 constitutional amendments. This report focuses on those that are amendments relevant to Greater New Orleans in four arenas: coastal restoration and flood protection, expropriation, the homestead exemption, and unfunded state mandates. In addition, BGR provides an expanded discussion of the proposed amendment on expropriation, […]
Overview As part of BGR Reports, a web-based series of reports BGR began publishing following the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster, BGR comments on a $3 million contract for recovery planning in New Orleans awarded without inviting competition. BGR also provides links below to documents referenced in the report: 2004 Request for Statement of Qualifications 2004 […]
Overview BGR challenged New Orleans mayoral candidates to implement BGRâs model for professional services contracting reform within 90 days of assuming office.
Overview BGR and the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, Inc. (PAR) have issued a joint report calling for a full appraisal of financial options for local governments in fiscal crisis, including municipal bankruptcy.
Overview BGR comments on proposed legislation to create the Louisiana Housing and Land Trust. This report is part of a series of web-based reports BGR began publishing following the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster.
Overview BGR comments on a proposal to create a redevelopment authority for post-Katrina New Orleans. This report is part of a web-based series on the rebuilding of New Orleans that BGR began publishing after the Hurricane Katrina disaster of 2005. The creation of the authority has implications for the city’s ability to address blighted property.
Overview BGR comments on post-Katrina redevelopment strategy in this installment of a web-based series of reports that BGR began publishing following the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster.
Overview BGR analyzes two of four state constitutional amendments that will appear on the November 2, 2004, ballot. The two amendments would modify the homestead exemption and the veterans’ preference to apply for civil service positions. In addition, BGR provides voters in New Orleans with information on a proposed $260 million bond issue and Jefferson […]
Overview BGR examines the health of the civil service system in New Orleansâ City government. This report suggests a number of prescriptions to improve the management of human resources and reinforce merit principles.
Overview In this report, BGR predicts tight financial times ahead for Jefferson Parish Government. What can the Parish Council and Parish President do about it? This report offers an array of options for keeping the parish coffers filled.
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.
Overview BGR presents its new Professional Services Contracting Model along with a pledge for current mayoral candidates in New Orleans to sign, promising to implement these specific and fundamental reforms.
Overview As a supplement to Public Contracting for Legal Services, this report provides information and analysis of contracting practices of local governments. Also available are appendixes summarizing 18 local government entities’ practices and the text of Louisiana laws. The Public Law Center (TPLC), the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR), and the Bureau of Governmental […]
Overview The Public Law Center (TPLC), the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR), and the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) prepared this study of contracting for outside legal services by state and local government entities at the request of the Kendall Vick Public Law Foundation. The objectives were to survey the laws and regulations […]
Overview This report examines the history and current state of the operating budget and compares revenues and expenditures, including salaries, for the City of Harahan, a municipality in Jefferson Parish. The report includes information on comparable Louisiana cities.
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 […]
Overview This edition of BGR’s Outlook series discusses the financial challenges facing the Jefferson Parish Public School System and the current academic performance of its schools.
Overview This report presents BGR’s analysis of ballot propositions to allow the issuance of general obligation bonds of $150 million by the City of New Orleans and $27 million by the Orleans Parish Law Enforcement District. Although the Criminal Sheriff governs the district, the bond proposal would raise funds for the sheriff, the district attorney […]
Overview In this report, BGR reviews the four proposed changes in the Louisiana constitution that voters will decide on November 7, 2000. The amendments would: (1) authorize the state to establish a corporation to be the stateâs principal economic development organization (Louisiana Inc.) and to exempt it from civil service; (2) change state individual income […]
Overview This issue of the Outlook series examines the capital budget process of the City of New Orleans and critiques the implementation of the 1995 voter-approved building program.
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 […]
Overview This issue of Outlook updates the financial status of the Jefferson Parish Public Schools with a focus on the revised fiscal year 1999 and the adopted fiscal year 2000 operating budgets.
Overview New Orleans International Airport: Governance, Regional Cooperation and Airport Expansion analyzes the airport’s conditions limiting its physical expansion and approaches to regional cooperation used by airports in similar geopolitical circumstances. Specifically, these circumstances include ownership and authority over the airport residing in one political jurisdiction, the location of airport in another, and a need […]
Overview This edition of Outlook provides an overview of Jefferson Parish Government and the Parish’s fiscal outlook, including final general government revenues and expenditures between 1988 and 1997, and an examination of the 1999 Jefferson Parish adopted budget.
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.
Overview This is the first report in BGR’s Outlook series on the Orleans Parish School Board. The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the Board’s fiscal outlook with a focus on the FY 1999 (July 1, 1998 through June 30, 1999) operating budget.
Overview In this issue of Outlook, BGR focuses on one specific area of Jefferson Parish Governmentâthe public works function, which manages streets, water, sewer, drainage and other infrastructure. The purpose of this report is to provide a brief overview of how this department is organized, where it receives its funding and how it spends its […]
Overview This report reviews the City of New Orleans’ property service charge proposal on the ballot for December 5, 1998. The primary intended uses of the new revenues include pay raises for most City employees and for all Orleans Parish public school employees.
Overview This report provides a short analysis of the potential creation of three separate neighborhood-based special tax districts in New Orleans and a recommendation on two proposed amendments to the Louisiana Constitution relative to the governance of higher education. The neighborhood districts will provide additional funding for enhanced security and in some cases, beautification and […]
Overview This report provides a synopsis and short analysis of all 18 proposed amendments to the Louisiana Constitution on the October 3, 1998, election ballot. The topics include assessment freezes for senior citizens and properties undergoing restoration, as well as parish severance tax allocations and remediation of blighted property: Establishes community college system Increases parish […]
Overview This issue of the BGR Outlook on Jefferson examines the Jefferson Parish School Board’s finances. The 16-page report analyzes the factors leading to recent operating budget deficits and discusses potential solutions.
Overview This report analyzes professional services contracting practices by five area school boards in Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard and St. Tammany parishes.
Overview This report is the fourth in BGRâs program of governmental oversight and monitoring of Jefferson Parish governments. This report provides updated budgetary information on the Parish Council, District Attorney and Sheriff.
Overview This is the first in a new series of reports highlighting the finances of Jefferson Parish local government. It provides an overview of parish general-purpose government revenues and expenditures over the past ten years and comparison of current-year operating budget.
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...
New Orleans will overhaul City Hall in the upcoming election with a new mayor, City Council members and other key leaders on the ballot. Why it matters: This is the biggest leadership shake-up in years â and the results will set the city’s...
New Orleans will vote on two City Council at-large seats this fall. Why it matters: All New Orleans voters can make choices for these seats, which fill, on alternating years, the roles of City Council president and vice president. State of play: Those who hold the...
Welcome once again to your ANTIGRAVITY voter education guide for the October 11 election. On this ballot, you will be voting on mayor, sheriff, assessor, criminal district court clerk, all councilmembers, a charter amendment, and potentially a neighborhood proposition. Click here...
New Orleans will elect a new mayor soon, offering the possibility of a reset after years of scandal, infighting and frustration over basic services. Why it matters: The mayor is the city’s most powerful official, shaping everything from street repairs to public safety....
Thatâs the name of the new report just released by independent local research organization Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR). President and CEO Rebecca Mowbray shares the shocking things not required to be included in the budget, why we need to...
New Orleans voters are set to elect City Council representatives for four out of five of the city’s districts this election cycle. Why it matters: When most residents struggle with a municipal issue â like, say, a pothole that never gets filled...
The New Orleans City Council is planning to ask the state’s top auditor to examine the city’s finances and provide clarity on the size of its budget deficit after a city budget hearing this week left council members with...
As New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrellâs administration prepares measures to address the cityâs budget deficit, there is confusion over what the shortfall actually is. Officials tossed around various numbers at a City Council budget committee meeting this week, without...
NEW ORLEANS (press release) â The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) issued a new report warning that New Orleans is facing a projected $102.5 million budget shortfall in 2025. BGR urges the mayor and City Council to adopt stronger financial management practices as...
This audio recording is no longer available. BGR President Rebecca Mowbray discussed a September 11 BGR NOW re-emphasizing key recommendations made this spring to help preserve and strengthen the City of New Orleansâs financial health.
NEW ORLEANS â A report released by a local government watchdog highlights the City of New Orleansâ growing budget deficit, which is on track to top $100 million by the end of the year. âThere’s a concern about looming...
The City of New Orleans is at a tipping point. As the races for mayor and City Council heat up, frustrated residents are demanding better City services and infrastructure. Meanwhile, the Cityâs improved post-pandemic financial position is at serious...
Property insurance costs have homeowners on the brink of foreclosure. Lots slated for new rental housing sit empty as financing falls short. Renters suffer through poor conditions with little recourse. The picture is stark in New Orleans, a city...
NEW ORLEANS (press release) â The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) has released the answers of mayor, City Council and sheriff candidates to BGRâs surveys about important public policy, governance, and financial issues in the October 11 primary election in New...
Today, the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) releases the answers of mayor, City Council and sheriff candidates to BGRâs surveys about important public policy, governance, and financial issues in the October 11 primary election in New Orleans. The surveys...
Complete BGR Survey Responses, Alphabetical by Candidateâs Last Name
Complete BGR Survey Responses, Alphabetical by Candidateâs Last Name
Complete BGR Survey Responses, Alphabetical by Candidateâs Last Name
Complete BGR Survey Responses, Alphabetical by Candidateâs Last Name District E Candidate Jason Hughes declined to participate in the survey. Candidate Nathaniel Jones did not respond to BGRâs invitations and outreach.
Read BGR’s Issue Summaries and Questions, and How the Candidates Responded (Alphabetical by Last Name)
Read BGR’s Issue Summaries and Questions, and How the Candidates Responded (Alphabetical by Last Name)
Read BGR’s Issue Summaries and Questions, and How the Candidates Responded (Alphabetical by Last Name)
Read BGR’s Issue Summaries and Questions, and How the Candidates Responded (Alphabetical by Last Name)
Read BGR’s Issue Summaries and Questions, and How the Candidates Responded (Alphabetical by Last Name)
Read BGR’s Issue Summaries and Questions, and How the Candidates Responded (Alphabetical by Last Name) District E Candidate Jason Hughes declined to participate in the survey. Candidate Nathaniel Jones did not respond to BGRâs invitations and outreach.
Complete BGR Survey Responses, Alphabetical by Candidate’s Last Name
Read BGR’s Issue Summaries and Questions, and How the Candidates Responded (Alphabetical by Last Name)
Complete BGR Survey Responses, Alphabetical by Candidateâs Last Name BGR did not receive survey responses from two other qualified mayoral candidates, Russell J. Butler and Renada Collins.
Read BGR’s Issue Summaries and Questions, and How the Candidates Responded (Alphabetical by Last Name) BGR did not receive survey responses from two other qualified mayoral candidates, Russell J. Butler and Renada Collins.
Complete BGR Survey Responses, Alphabetical by Candidateâs Last Name
Complete BGR Survey Responses, Alphabetical by Candidateâs Last Name
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,...
NEW ORLEANS (press release) â The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) won three awards at the national Governmental Research Association conference July 13-16 in Providence, R.I. BGR was honored for Outstanding Policy Achievement for its efforts to encourage the City of New Orleans to meet...
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...
NEW ORLEANS â The trial over millions of dollars the Orleans Parish School Board claims it is owed by the city of New Orleans has been delayed after a judge ruled that an essential party is missing from the...
When Congress passed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in March 2021, it allocated $350 billion in assistance to state and local governments â providing the largest infusion of cash to local governments since the start of...
As New Orleans officials grapple with an April 17 meeting where they literally will argue about whether or not the city faces a budget crisis, they should welcome some new recommendations from the Bureau of Governmental Research, even if...
NEW ORLEANS â The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR), a private, nonprofit, and independent research organization based in New Orleans, released the report âImproving Financial Management Practices for the City of New Orleansâ on April 7, highlighting concerns about...
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who built a multi-billion dollar business and led the nationâs largest city for three terms, has a motto: âIf you canât measure it, you canât manage it.â The next mayor of New Orleans...
This recording is no longer available online. Read BGR’s report urging the City of New Orleans to improve its financial management practices.
Listen to Newell Normand’s commentary in response to BGR’s report urging the City of New Orleans to improve its financial management practices.
NEW ORLEANS â After months of unclear back-and-forth from city leaders regarding the city’s financial standing- sparked by the Mayor pulling out of a multimillion dollar settlement with the Orleans Parish School Board- a new report released by the...
New Orleans officials donât have a long-term plan for the cityâs finances or safeguards for the cityâs reserves, leaving municipal budgets vulnerable at an âinflection pointâ in the cityâs history, according to a new report from the Bureau of...
The recent dispute about a proposed $90 million legal settlement between the City of New Orleans and the Orleans Parish School Board has raised concerns about the Cityâs financial health. It also revealed troubling disagreements within the administration about...
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...
A government watchdog group has issued guidance that it says City Hall and its partners must follow before dispersing millions of dollars in new, voter-approved funding for affordable housing programs. The Bureau of Governmental Research initially opposed the Housing...
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 (Dec. 18, 2024) â Yesterday, the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) sent a five-page letter to Mayor LaToya Cantrell and the City Council, offering a series of recommendations aimed at strengthening the effectiveness of the newly approved...
Alex Robinson has amassed a large following on social media by sharing videos focusing on all the things everyone loves about New Orleans: the celebrations, live music, restaurants and festivals for every occasion. But in September, the normally upbeat...
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...
There are just less than 200 days to go until New Orleans hosts Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9, 2025, and there are still hundreds of items left to tackle on the combined city and state checklists. Why it matters: There’s one...
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,...
Today, BGR presented a Breakfast Briefing entitled “French Quarter in Focus: A Conversation on the State of the Vieux CarrĂŠ as New Orleans Prepares to Host Super Bowl LIX.” BGRâs President and CEO Becky Mowbray moderated a conversation with...
Last Wednesdayâs severe weather overwhelmed Jefferson Parishâs drainage infrastructure, causing widespread street flooding â and for the first time in at least a decade â the overtopping of canals. But unlike New Orleans, where floodwaters swamped businesses and vehicles,...
Today, BGR presented a Breakfast Briefing with Cynthia Lee Sheng, Jefferson Parish President, and Mark Drewes, Director of the Jefferson Parish Department of Public Works, who discussed upgrading aging infrastructure in Jefferson Parish. This event was free to the...
METAIRIE, La. â The Bureau of Governmental Research is hosting a âbreakfast briefingâ from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. on April 16 at the Sheraton Hotel at 4 Galleria Boulevard in Metairie. BGR President and CEO Rebecca Mowbray will...
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 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...
For the first time in nearly three years, New Orleans has a permanent public works director after the City Council this week confirmed Clinton âRickâ Hathaway to oversee key city infrastructure issues that have caused heartburn among residents. Hathaway,...
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...
The New Orleans City Council approved the city’s $1.57 billion budget on Friday, greenlighting most of the spending that Mayor LaToya Cantrell proposed for 2024. That budget, along with an additional $56 million in spending on a variety of...
The New Orleans City Council is set to approve most of Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s proposed $1.57 billion city budget on Friday, with pay raises on the way for New Orleans police, more money set aside in a “rainy day”...
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...
Mayor LaToya Cantrell wants to tackle some of New Orleans’ most stubborn issues over the next year: public safety, infrastructure and improving residents’ quality of life. But anyone looking for major new initiatives from the mayor who has two...
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...
Saturdayâs elections for statewide and parish offices along with a number of other ballot initiatives will be the culmination of many months of hard work and millions of dollar spent by candidates, their supporters and public and quasi-public agencies...
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 renewed call for the City of New Orleans and the Orleans Parish Sheriff to develop a cooperative agreement to fund the Orleans Justice Center, the parish jail. Audio recording is not...
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...
As New Orleanians focus on whether the City Council will confirm Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s choice for the permanent police chief position, they might also look closely at who’s going to fix their streets. As of Thursday, New Orleans didn’t...
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...
Election day is almost here. And there is more on the ballot than candidates running for office. Voters in many municipalities are also being asked to consider ballot measures related to local governance. In the city of New Orleans,...
There’s a changing of the guard at the Department of Public Works, Sarah McLaughlin-Porteous, who took over a little more than a year ago, resigned Sept. 6. “It was really a personal decision. I had a goal that when...
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...
Orleans Parish School Board facilities millage renewal: Yes In the grueling recovery from Hurricane Katrina, the $1.8 billion lump sum settlement with FEMA to rebuild New Orleans schools was a high point. Saddled before the storm with facilities so...
Today, BGR presented “Rebuilding Our Infrastructure, Making New Orleans Resilient,” a Breakfast Briefing to discuss progress on New Orleans’ citywide street improvement program. Joseph W. Threat, Sr., and Sarah McLaughlin Porteous, public works leaders for the City of New...
NEW ORLEANS â The Bureau of Governmental Research has published a report calling on the City of New Orleans and the Orleans Parish Sheriffâs Office to resolve a long-running disagreement over funding for the parish jail. The dispute flared last fall...
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) â As the New Orleans City Council prepares its 2024 budget, the Bureau of Governmental Research has released a report about a longstanding dispute over funding for the Orleans Parish Prison. According to the report, the...
The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) published a report today calling on the City of New Orleans and the Orleans Parish Sheriffâs Office to resolve a long-running disagreement over funding for the parish jail. The dispute flared anew last fall...
Click here to watch the video, and here to visit the BGR webpage for this report.
NEW ORLEANS â From the Bureau of Governmental Research: On Sept. 21, the Bureau of Governmental Research released three On the Ballot reports for the October 14 election. The reports are intended to help New Orleans voters make informed decisions...
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 (BGR) won two awards from the Governmental Research Association (GRA) at its national conference July 24-26 in Worcester, Mass. BGRâs 2022 report calling for governance reforms for the Orleans Parish jail received the Most...
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...
The New Orleans City Council on Thursday approved $32 million for a new affordable housing fund, nearly doubling the financing assistance available to developers planning large multifamily projects across the city. City officials say the additional subsidies are needed...
Becky Mowbray and Stephen Stuart join Tommy to talk about how the city is spending the money from the General Fund Reserve. Click here to listen to the interview.
The New Orleans City Council on Thursday (May 25) approved a city spending plan for more than $120 million â almost all of which comes from federal COVID pandemic relief funds. The money is going to a wide range...
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...
The New Orleans City Council is set to vote Thursday (May 25) on a plan to spend tens of millions in city surplus dollars on city vehicles, affordable housing and assorted other projects as well as the last $54...
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...
Standing before a gymnasium full of angry residents at the Avondale Playground in October, Jefferson Parish Council member Byron Lee made a pledge. âIf you need uniforms, call my office,â he said. âIf you need playground equipment, call my...
NEW ORLEANS â From the Bureau of Governmental Research: In an April 28 letter to the Jefferson Parish Council, BGR recommends ways in which the council can improve planning and public reporting for one-time spending made possible by the receipt of...
In an April 28 letter to the Jefferson Parish Council, BGR recommends ways in which the council can improve planning and public reporting for one-time spending made possible by the receipt of federal pandemic relief funds through the American Rescue Plan...
NEW ORLEANS â New Orleans East is getting some much-needed funding for some big projects. Councilman Oliver Thomas announced on social media this weekend that extra cash from the American Rescue Plan Act will be heading to New Orleans...
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – As residents complained about garbage left to rot on the streets for weeks, the company contracted to collect that trash in several neighborhoods was pleading with the city of New Orleans to fully pay the...
When the New Orleans City Council passed a massive, $262 million amendment to the 2023 budget in the waning hours before a Dec. 1 deadline, local activists were surprised. Thereâd been no formal notice that Mayor LaToya Cantrell and...
NEW ORLEANS â From the Bureau of Governmental Research: On Dec. 13, BGR released a new report that shows how the City of New Orleans has used the first half ($194 million) of its federal relief funds to weather...
A new report from the local think tank the Bureau of Governmental Research analyzed how New Orleans has managed the $388 million in federal COVID relief funds it received through the America Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA. The central...
The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) highlighted a new report on the City of New Orleans’ uses of its federal American Rescue Plan Act funds in a webinar on December 14 on Zoom. The federal government has provided state...
A new report from the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) takes a closer look at the impacts of the City of New Orleans’ federal pandemic relief funds on its finances and budget priorities. Managing the Windfall: Tracking the City of...
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...
Today, Governor John Bel Edwards joined the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) for a Virtual Breakfast Briefing to discuss his key priorities for 2022 and the potential impacts of new federal funding for Louisiana. Click here or on the...
The City of New Orleans has received its first portion of federal pandemic relief funds through the American Rescue Plan. This historic federal investment will influence the City’s budget for the next few years. BGR recently discussed the need...
NEW ORLEANS â The City of New Orleans has received its first portion of federal pandemic relief funds through the American Rescue Plan. This historic federal investment will influence the Cityâs budget for the next few years. BGR recently...
NEW ORLEANS â The Bureau of Governmental Research has released guidance for government entities planning how to spend federal pandemic relief funds. The nonprofit watchdog said governments have âsubstantial flexibilityâ in spending the federal dollars, which creates a ârare...
The Bureau of Governmental Research today releases Handle with Care: Public Planning and Accountability Must Guide Spending of Federal Relief Funds. This BGR NOW offers guidance to government entities on harnessing the opportunities presented by unprecedented federal funding to...
Today, the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) hosted a virtual Breakfast Briefing featuring Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng. She discussed âLeading Jefferson Parish Today and Tomorrow: Reflections on 2020, Managing the Pandemic, and Future Priorities.â Following her presentation,...
Today, BGR releases this BGR NOW supporting three policy changes up for consideration by the Orleans Parish School Board that would strengthen NOLA Public Schoolsâ financial accountability measures and support the districtâs financial sustainability. The changes address financial oversight...
We find ourselves in the uncomfortable, but necessarily so, position of having to start this weekâs Commentary with an apology. In late November, Gambit endorsed Mayor LaToya Cantrellâs millage proposals, most notably her controversial library millage plan. This was...
The voters in Orleans Parish spoke quite clearly Saturday when they rejected three millage proposals that Mayor LaToya Cantrell strongly pushed. I suspect the mayor isnât hearing what theyâre saying, at least not yet. There were plenty of complaints...
In Orleans Parish, multiple property tax measures were on the Dec. 5 ballot. New Orleans overwhelmingly rejected Mayor LaToya Cantrellâs near-term fiscal strategy Saturday when they voted down three property tax dedication changes as well as a French Quarter...
New Orleans voters roundly defeated all three of Mayor LaToya Cantrellâs tax proposals just days after she had warned that their failure could lead to the city implementing layoffs instead of the proposed furloughs that already figure to dramatically...
New Orleans voters on Saturday rejected a package of ballot propositions put forward by Mayor LaToya Cantrell that would have changed how the city spent roughly $23 million a year in property taxes. The plan would have cut roughly...
NEW ORLEANS â City leaders in New Orleans are calling on residents to approve three propositions on Saturday, which all deal with taxes set to expire at the end of next year. The first deals with funding infrastructure and...
ORLEANS PARISH, LA. â Orleans Parish voters will have to decide on three millage propositions at the polls. These propositions focus on infrastructure, housing and economic development, and early childhood education. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell says voters need...
NEW ORLEANS â Facing significant opposition to her proposed cut to public libraries and to separate tax increases for infrastructure and economic development, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said Friday that if three propositions on Saturdayâs ballot fail, she may have...
There are three parish-wide millage propositions on the ballot for Orleans Parish residents this weekend. One has to do with maintenance and infrastructure, another has to do with library funding and early childhood education. A third has to do...
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell threatened to lay off city employees unless voters extend three property taxes Saturday. If the millages are not renewed, she said during a virtual town hall meeting Thursday evening, City Hall would “immediately have...
In Orleans Parish, multiple property tax measures are on the Dec. 5 ballot. Proposition 1 funds infrastructure, including roadwork. A yes vote for Proposition 1 would replace two existing property taxes with a new special tax. The existing millage...
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Mayor LaToya Cantrell says there is a lot riding on three millages this Saturday. Proposition One is a renewal of a infrastructure and maintenance fund tax. Proposition Two is a restructured library tax which would...
Dr. Gabriel Morley, the director of the New Orleans Public Library, said at a Wednesday morning press conference that he had seen no written plan for how the library would adjust to a 40 percent budget cut being proposed...
NEW ORLEANSâ In addition to deciding the next district attorney, voters in Orleans Parish will decide issues that affect their wallets. There are three propositions the city is asking voters to renew. In an exclusive interview with WGNO News,...
The future of New Orleansâ publicly funded childcare program is now tied to a controversial tax proposal that slashes the libraryâs budget by 40 percent. Proposition 2 reduces the existing property tax dedicated to the cityâs public library system,...
Newell talks to Research Director Stephen Stuart about what voters will see on their ballots in the Dec 5 election. The discussion focuses on the New Orleans property tax propositions on the ballot.
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....
New Orleans voters will be asked to reconfigure five soon-to-expire taxes into four new ones on the Dec. 5 ballot, leaving the overall tax rate the same but altering how much funding various city services and functions receive. The...
Mayor LaToya Cantrell is asking New Orleans voters to approve three interrelated millages on Dec. 5 that wouldnât increase residentsâ total tax bills, but would reallocate the proceeds for 20 years. The first would increase a combined streets and...
The diverse group of parents, librarians and concerned citizens that make up the Save Our Libraries coalition got a boost this week when the Bureau of Governmental Research added their voice to those opposing Proposition 2 which is on...
NEW ORLEANS â Early voting begins Friday across Louisiana for the Dec. 5 election, which includes the runoff for Orleans Parish District Attorney, as well as several judicial runoffs and important tax issues across the metro New Orleans area....
NEW ORLEANS â In a new report, the Bureau of Governmental Research â a private, nonprofit government watchdog â analyzes three separate propositions to replace several property taxes that will expire at the end of 2021. BGR said the...
In a report released Monday, the Bureau of Governmental Research, a local nonpartisan think tank, came out against a package of proposed property tax changes backed by New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. Cantrellâs tax plan is being put to...
Today the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) releases On the Ballot: New Orleans Property Tax Propositions, December 5, 2020. The report is intended to help New Orleans voters make an informed decision on three separate propositions to replace several City...
Today, the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) hosted a virtual Breakfast Briefing featuring New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. She discussed “Looking Ahead to 2021: New Orleans’ Budget, Infrastructure and Policy Priorities” and then answered questions from the audience. BGR...
Despite a local law requiring the city of New Orleans to post all of its contracts on its website, the cityâs public facing contract database hasnât worked since December 2019, when the local government was hit with a cyber...
Today, BGR released the inaugural edition of PolicyWatch, a periodic newsletter that draws on BGRâs body of independent, nonpartisan research to address current public policy issues. This edition focuses on the City of New Orleansâ finances as it faces a...
The coronavirus outbreak and the efforts to slow its spread are set to levy a massive toll on the New Orleans economy, with the hospitality sector already seeing a sharp downturn in business and officials warning about likely cuts...
BGR President and CEO Amy Glovinsky and Vice President & Research Director Stephen Stuart talked about the 2020 Excellence in Government Awards program and a variety of issues related to local government in a live interview with Oliver Thomas...
Deputy clerks at Orleans Parish Criminal District Court can breathe a sigh of relief â at least for now. Clerk of Court Arthur Morrell said Monday that he has shelved his plan to furlough nearly all of his office’s...
The City Council has made a request to cut tax rates for property owners, and an agreement is under consideration. The plan is to move some individual millages around to prioritize infrastructure and public safety dollars over areas of...
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...
As the New Orleans City Council reviews the proposed 2020 budget for the City of New Orleans, BGR presents here a collection of resources to help citizens understand the proposal in the context of recent City budget trends and...
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...
Today, BGR releases BGR Now: A Framework for Assessing New Orleans’ Proposed 2020 Budget, which outlines key findings of BGR’s recent City budget study and connects them to the current 2020 budget process to help inform citizens and policymakers....
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...
Citizens in Orleans and Jefferson parishes who plan to vote in tomorrow’s election can inform their decisions with three BGR reports: On the Ballot: Housing Tax Exemptions in New Orleans, October 12, 2019 examines Constitutional Amendment No. 4, which...
Today, BGR releases A Look Back to Plan Ahead: Analyzing Past New Orleans Budgets to Guide Funding Priorities. The report reviews the Cityâs General Fund budgets from 2010 to 2019, focusing on growth in revenues and changes in expenditures. As...
The race to replace Ricky Templet in the Jefferson Parish Council’s District 1 seat is between two candidates who would be new to parish government, though only one could be considered a political outsider. Retired postal worker Sheldon Vincent...
Today BGR releases Questions for a New Parish Council, the second in a two-part report series providing the views of candidates for Jefferson Parish government on important public policy issues. Yesterday, BGR released the responses of the candidates for...
Today BGR releases Questions for a New Parish President, the first in a two-part series of reports providing the views of candidates for Jefferson Parish government on important public policy issues. Tomorrow, BGR will release the responses of the...
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...
New Orleans City Council members had some surprising answers at a panel discussion hosted by the Bureau of Governmental Research last week when they were asked what they have been most surprised by in city government. âPeople lie,â first-year...
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...
We hosted our first BGR Social at The Shop @ the CAC, where young professionals and New Orleans City Council members Williams, Giarrusso, Palmer, Nguyen, and Banks gathered for a public policy conversation. The event was sponsored by Corporate...
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 Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) won two awards from the Governmental Research Association (GRA) at its national conference July 30 to August 1 in Detroit. BGR received the Outstanding Policy Achievement award for the 2016 report Reducing the...
Today, the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) releases From Answers to Action: Post-Election Policy Making. The report is the latest installment in BGR’s Candidate Q&A Election Series, which surveyed the mayoral and City Council candidates last fall about their positions on...
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....
Awards Insurance Business America has released its Top Producers 2018 report and Beth Carter-Drury, CIC, Zachary Fanberg and Marcus Eagan of Eagan Insurance Agency, Inc. were recognized as one of the best producers in the industry. Louis Armstrong New...
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...
NEW ORLEANS — The city’s traffic cameras became a hot-button issue after their numbers nearly doubled over the past year. The big question for mayoral candidates during WWL-TV’s televised debate on Oct. 11 was if the revenue justified the...
Saturday is Election Day, and in virtually every race, candidates are attacking and counter-attacking with a vengeance. Itâs ironic that so much information is available online these days, yet so many voters say they donât know much about the...
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...
Weâre now less than two weeks away from early voting in the New Orleans citywide elections, and so far no mayoral candidate has captured votersâ imagination or articulated a message that resonates. In fact, most votersâ reaction to the...
Everybody is looking for answers from the crowded field of candidates for the New Orleans mayoral race. The nonprofit watchdog Bureau for Governmental Research took its crack at it, calling on each of the 18 candidates to answer questions...
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...
Kevin Dolliole, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airportâs new Director of Aviation, spoke at a BGR Breakfast Briefing sponsored by IBERIABANK. Mr. Dolliole discussed the continued growth of the Louis Armstrong International Airportin terms of passengers and flights. He...
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...
Though he’s only a few weeks into the job, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport’s new boss is working in familiar territory. “I’m a native New Orleanian,” Aviation Director Kevin Dolliole told a packed room Thursday at a breakfast briefing hosted...
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...
A new report from the Bureau of Government Research says New Orleans isnât using ANY traffic camera money to fix the streets. Our guest, Amy Glovinsky, President of the Bureau of Governmental Research says, âon the issue of traffic...
This week on All Things New Orleans, we chat with Stand with Dignityâs lead organizer, Toya Lewis, about a series of song story workshops. Then, weâll discuss a report on street maintenance and how to pay for it with...
NEW ORLEANS — According to a new report, the City of New Orleans is only spending $3.8 million on street maintenance and none of that is coming from traffic camera fines. Ask any New Orleans driver, our city streets...
NEW ORLEANS â BGR released âPaying for Streets: Options for Funding Road Maintenance in New Orleans,â yesterday, Tuesday, May 9. With the city embarking on a $2 billion program for capital repairs to its street network, the report explores...
The city of New Orleans only spends an average of $3.8 million annually on street maintenance tasks like pothole repairs — a fraction of the $30 million to $35 million officials say they need to cover the costs of maintaining...
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...
BGR won two awards from the Governmental Research Association (GRA) at its national conference in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Tuesday, July 26, 2016. BGR won the award for Outstanding Policy Achievement for the report The Accidental Steward: The Orleans Parish School...
