New Orleans mayor-elect plans to cut "top heavy" city staffing
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Mayor-elect Helena Moreno says the city's staffing levels are "very top heavy with very high salaries."
Why it matters: She tells Axios there will be cuts and reorganizations, especially at the top.
The big picture: City employees are in the process of reapplying for their jobs with the new administration, which starts Jan. 12, 2026.
- Moreno declined to give a target number for payroll or the number of employees, saying her transition team has hired firms to study it.
- But, she said "we just can't" keep it at the same level, noting a "big boost in unclassified employees" under the Cantrell administration.
- Moreno says she's looking at "potentially asking people to do more in leadership spots."
Zoom in: Unclassified employees don't have the same job protections as classified employees and can be hired and fired at will.
- As of December 2024, about 15% of the city's employees were unclassified.
- Unclassified positions are usually in leadership roles or in the mayor's office. Classified jobs are usually first responders, librarians and other office workers.
By the numbers: Personnel costs about $40 million per month currently, Moreno says.
Catch up quick: The city is facing a two-pronged budget crisis — cash-flow issues and a $160 million operating deficit.
- Chief administrative officer Joe Threat says the cash flow issue is partially related to the federal government shutdown.
- The operating deficit is from overtime spending and poor revenue forecasting. The city is responding with a freeze on hiring, travel and other expenses. Proposed 2026 operating budgets are being cut 30%.
- Moreno estimates it will take "a couple years to dig us out of all of this."
The intrigue: Surprisingly, no one seems to know how many employees the city has. Estimates range from 3,000 to nearly 5,000, depending on the source.
- The mayor's office declined to provide a current number to Axios after multiple requests. In December 2024, it was 4,855.
- The employee union last month says it represents about 3,800 employees.
- Next year's budget proposal says about 3,700, but City Council budget chair Joe Giarrusso says he thinks the current number is closer to 3,000.
- Meanwhile, The Times-Picayune estimates about 5,000 employees, based on other city documents.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to say classified (not unclassified) jobs usually encompass roles like first responders, librarians and other office workers.