News

September 22, 2022 | From City of New Orleans

CITY OF NEW ORLEANS ANNOUNCES MID-YEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS

NEW ORLEANS — Mayor LaToya Cantrell today signed Ordinance Cal. No. 33,858 to adjust the City budget reallocating $37.5 million from the General Fund for public safety, technology improvements and City employee cost of living payments.

Following the submission of a proposal from the Cantrell Administration, the New Orleans City Council approved the ordinance, authorizing the mid-year budget adjustments. It addresses the City’s priorities of enhancing public safety, improving the quality of life of residents, and providing cost of living payments to all employees.

“Our City employees have overcome several unprecedented challenges and have faced them all head on,” said Mayor Cantrell. “My administration is committed to prioritizing and demonstrating our appreciation for every single public servant who continues to put the needs of the residents before themselves every single day. This is another opportunity for us to once again shift resources toward City services, including technology and equipment upgrades for the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) and other public safety operations to help our city run more efficiently."

Cost of Living Payments and Salary Enhancements for City Employees

The mid-year budget adjustments include a one-time five percent Cost of Living payment in October for City employees based on their salary. Additionally, upon appropriation by the City Council, City employees will receive a five percent pay raise in 2023 followed by two 2.5 percent pay raises in 2024 and 2025. The City also proposed a five percent raise for NOPD officers in 2023, 2024 and 2025, which is pending Civil Service Commission and City Council approval. Under the Cantrell Administration, this is the second pay raise that City employees have received.  A service wide pay increase of 10 percent was provided to City employees in 2018.

Enhanced Public Safety Services

Funding has been reallocated to address technology needs for the NOPD to implement Consent Decree requirements. The adjustment will also replenish funding used to purchase new vehicles to replace the City's aging fleet and purchase equipment and needed technology for the City, the NOPD, New Orleans Emergency Medical Services (NOEMS) and the New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD). To accommodate the proposed adjustments, the City utilized savings from personnel budgets of some departments where current vacancies exist.

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