2024 City Budget Drop!

Yesterday, Mayor Cantrell and CAO Gilbert Montano presented their 2024 Proposed Budget to the City Council for the first time. The Council will have to approve the budget by December 1st.

2024 Budget Breakdown: Expenses

The General Fund is the area where the City has most discretion during the budget hearings. It’s the funding that they can spend on anything they want, free of grant restrictions. Here’s how the $776 Million in General Fund expenses breaks down by category:

How to get involved

1. Write and/or call your councilmembers. Remember, there are three people on City Council who represent you: Your district councilmember and both At-Large Councilmembers, Helena Moreno and JP Morrell. Email all three with what you care about in the budget. Pro Tip: You don’t have to be an expert! Ask specific questions like: “How will you prioritize this issue in the Budget?” Find your councilmember’s contact information here.

2. Show Up to a Budget Hearing - Over the next three weeks, the City Council will host public hearings on the City Budget, where administration officials are required to present their goals and budget proposals, and the Council and the public can make comments. Check out the schedule below and submit a comment in person or online.

3. Join an existing community initiative for the City Budget. There are a number of active community coalitions working to advance specific goals in the 2024 Annual Budget. If you’re new to budget advocacy, it could help to align with an existing proposal. Here’s a few we are aware of.

   • The Big Easy Deal: A set of investments in community wellbeing including housing, workforce, youth, and language access.

   • #PutHousingFirst: Budget and policy recommendations to address the affordable housing crisis.

   • Want to be featured here? Email Nellie (at) cbno (dot) org.

4. Brush up on your budget basics. Learn where the money comes from, where it goes, and how to navigate the process here.

2024 Budget Hearings Schedule

(subject to change) – AS OF 11/10

All hearings will take place from 9:30am to 5pm each day in City Council Chambers. 1300 Perdido St., 1st floor.

DAY 1: Tuesday, October 31st - View Slides & Meeting Video here

1. Tax Levy Ordinance – Proposed Millage Rates

2. Board of City Trusts

3. Department of Finance

a. Supplier Diversity

4. Chief Administrative Office

a. Budget office

b. Office of Information and Technology

c. Office of Service and Innovation

d. Office of Employee & Labor Relations

5. Orleans Parish School Board & Agenda for Children – Millage

6. Civil Service

DAY 2: Friday, November 3rd - View Slides & Meeting Video here

1. Orleans Parish Communications District

2. Juvenile Justice Intervention Center

3. Office of Independent Police Monitor

DAY 3: Monday, November 6th - View Slides & Meeting Video here

1. Orleans Parish Criminal District Court

2. Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office

3. Clerk of Criminal District Court

4. Health Department

5. New Orleans Public Library

DAY 4: Tuesday, November 7th - View Slides & Meeting Video here

1. Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office

2. Orleans Parish Public Defender’s Office

3. NOPD + Consent Decree Compliance

4. EMS

5. Fire Department

DAY 5: Wednesday, November 8th - View Slides & Meeting Video here

1. Capital Budget

2. Five Year Capital Plan

3. CAO – Office of Capital Projects Administration

4. Department of Property Management

a. Real Estate Records

5. Department of Public Works

6. Department of Sanitation

7. NORD + Parks Millage

DAY 6: Thursday, November 9th - View Slides & Meeting Video Here

1. Office of Business & External Affairs

a. Department of Safety & Permits

b. Code Enforcement

c. City Planning Commission

d. Historic District Landmarks Commission

e. Vieux Carre Commission

f. Office of Performance and Accountability

g. Office of Economic Development

i. Workforce Development

h. Cultural Economy

i. Office of Nighttime Economy

2. Office of Community Development

3. New Orleans Redevelopment Authority

DAY 7: Friday, November 10th - View Slides & Meeting Video here

1. Orleans Parish Coroner

2. Mayor’s Office

a. Office of Youth & Families

b. Office of Criminal Justice Coordination

c. Office of Neighborhood Engagement

d. CORE

e. IGR

3. Law Department

4. Homeland Security

5. Office of Resilience & Sustainability

a. Office of Utilities

b. Office of Transportation

6. Juvenile Court

DAY 8: Monday, November 13th

1. Municipal and Traffic Court

2. Office of Inspector General & Ethics Review Board

3. French Market Corp

4. Algiers Development District

5. Regional Transit Authority

6. Downtown Development District

DAY 9: Tuesday, November 14th

1. Municipal Participation in Civic Affairs

a. Total Community Action

b. New Orleans Council on Aging

c. Louisiana SPCA

d. Arts Council of New Orleans

e. New Orleans Tourism and Culture Fund

2. New Orleans Municipal Yacht Harbor

3. New Orleans Building Corporation

4. New Orleans Aviation Board

5. Parks and Parkways

Brush Up on your Budget Basics

Learn where the money comes from, where it goes, and how to navigate the process here.