New Orleans expects "pain" in 2027 budget
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Mayor Helena Moreno, right, in front of a budget presentation Wednesday in Gentilly. Photo: Carlie Kollath Wells/Axios
New Orleans' upcoming budget proposal will include cuts and "pain" in order to preserve essential services, administration officials say.
Why it matters: After relying heavily on one-time money this year, the city faces tough choices about how to balance its budget in 2027.
The big picture: Mayor Helena Moreno and her administration are finalizing the budget, which she'll present to the City Council on Sept. 22.
- Moreno hasn't indicated what the cuts could look like, but chief administrative officer Joe Giarrusso says they will be surgical rather than a set amount across all departments — which is in line with her approach to the 2026 budget.
- "There will be pain," Giarrusso says. "It will be difficult, but I kind of feel like we're in the last quarter of a marathon."
- On Thursday, the city adopted a 2027 revenue projection of $768.2 million.
Zoom in: The administration doesn't want to continue employee furloughs in 2027, Giarrusso says.
- The hope is to end them in the fourth quarter of this year as money comes in from the garbage rate hike and other proposed fees, Giarrusso says. The higher rate starts Oct. 1.
- He expects the city to be able to pay its bills for the rest of the year through a mix of one-time funds, cuts and other changes.
Zoom out: The administration is getting public input about what the priorities should be next year.
- At a community meeting Wednesday in Gentilly, residents told the mayor how challenging it is to interact with the Sewerage and Water Board, public works and other city agencies.
- Many of the frustrations centered on infrastructure issues that turned into safety hazards.
Examples:
- Overgrown lots and shrubs that block sidewalks for pedestrians and hinder visibility for drivers.
- Deep potholes that block lanes and cause drivers to swerve.
- Broken streetlights, missing street signs and malfunctioning traffic lights that make driving difficult and impede emergency response.
What's next: Attend a budget meeting (schedule) or fill out the online survey about financial priorities.