New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu will be unveiling his proposed 2016 budget this morning. It’s the first step in a process of deciding how to spend about a half-billion dollars.
Mayor Landrieu will deliver his proposed budget to the City Council. The panel will then schedule public hearings and appearances of city agency officials.
Firefighters are wondering how the city proposes to pay them back pay and pension shortfalls. Corrections officials will hear how the city intends to fund the new jail. Economic development leaders are hoping for an outline for continued prosperity.
One is Michael Hecht, president of the Greater New Orleans Incorporated business group. He says he has three items of special interest.
“Sufficient funding for the police force, particularly so that we can continue to bring the manpower up to the level that it needs to be," he said. "Economic and job creation. And specifically I like the Nola Youth Works program that provides summer jobs for youths, because that’s not only getting them into a career path and pipelines but it’s also going to have a positive impact on the crime issue. And then the last is, of course, infrastructure.”
He says the city needs to repair roads, bridges and other structures that will hold up in the future.
The budget process continues through next month.
