New Orleans City Council approved the operating and capital budgets for 2011
Scales back proposal, yet property tax and sanitation fees will increase next year to help finance city government
• Council members present: Council President Arnie Fielkow, Stacy Head, Jackie Clarkson, Cynthia Hedge-Morrell, Jon Johnson, Susan Guidry, Kristin Gisleson-Palmer.
• Only three people spoke during public hearing regarding budget at 10am. Residents were able to air their opinions on a proposal to raise property tax rates in the city.
• Landrieu's called to roll forward tax millage to an estimated $23 million toward balancing the 2011 budget.
• Fielkow: Council cut will $4 million from the mayor’s budget.
• Council added funding for public defender’s office, animal control and better city planning Fielkow: Landrieu called the budget “the moral document”; three weeks of budget hearings and two weeks extension; “lays a foundation to move the city into 2011 and into years to come,” City Council has received the mayor’s budget with “favorable consideration;” regarding the deficit: “a short fall of this magnitude cannot happen again.” Budget is “a living document” that will be revised throughout the year; sewage plan must be put in place before throwing out money on the problem---“It’s the belief that a full comprehensive plan must be created before throwing money at the problem."
• Cynthia Hedge-Morrell: roll forward of the general approval of a 6.74 mills property-tax increase; "don’t support half measures in these times---this amendment in the budget to increase millage is not reasonable."
• Jackie Clarkston: "We had to make cuts and find more revenue, don’t like property taxes going up, but we had to bite the bullet; didn’t want to cut services, we could not find vital cuts without cutting services so accepted 2 mill increase---“this was our best compromise.”
• Stacy Head: Budget is too heavy of a burden on such a few property taxes; relying on property taxes and increases is not going to work; city has not collected sales taxes and property taxes as required according to recent city assessments; didn’t like the end result of this measure but will comment thoroughly later.
• Palmer: We tried to give the mayor everything he wanted and more.
• Jon Johnson: Will vote for this ordinance and we will have an opportunity to come back in years to come; hopefully we will not get ourselves in the same predicament as the former administration and move to go forward in the best interest of this city; council: next year is a property tax assessment year and we will roll back our millage more; look for revenues elsewhere.
• Fielkow: Mayor and Council has a great partnership.
• The council agreed to reduced the proposed millage increase by two mills, 25 percent, but it still raises taxes.
• Hedge-Morell the only one to vote against 6.74 mills property tax increase.
• Fielkow indicated they will further increase the sanitation fess residents will pay.
• Stacy Head request reports on off budget funding and spending from mayor’s office.
• Capital budget passes unanimously.
• City Council discussed an ordinance to deposit first 3.75 million of sales of blighted properties into the general fund.
• City Council approves property-tax increase for 2011 2 mills short of 8.74 mills that Mayor Landrieu sought.
• Johnson disputes earmarked monies for blight ---suggest it should be added to the general fund from Sheriff’s office---wants the monies monitored very closely for blight that was added to the general fund; resources coming out for blight should go toward neighborhood revitalization.
• Ordinance for blight amendment passes unanimously.
• Budget that will be passed on December 2, 2010 was for $4.80 million.
• Fielkow: Lowered the budget by $1.5 million.
• Kopplin: I can’t tell you exactly what the sanitation fee needs to be.
• Johnson: How do we know how to properly fund sanitation contracts when they aren’t in place?
• Fielkow: Budget will fund virtually all mayoral initiatives despite reduction tax proposal; Johnson: “I will vote for the amended tax increase because this is our first year. We will have opportunity to revisit.
• Head: Afraid tax increase will hurt small business. “ This is not the ultimate result I hoped for, but it is a compromise."
• Hedge-Morrell: Council’s reduction of proposed tax increase is nickel and diming. Prefers full millage increase will vote against the amendment.
• N.O. City Council proposing no new tax revenue for sewerage & water board.
• Mayor's office says the council’s intention to hike trash fee from $12 a month to $22 may not be enough.
• Fielkow continues public response to budget amendments.
• Richard’s Disposal and Metro—citizen speaking on behalf of the contractors: "You can‘t compare one contractor’s expenses with another contractor’s expenses; Mr. Richard has decided to come down on his price like Metro. Evidently, the council is not giving the same opportunity to Richards as with Metro; asking the Council to reconsider and provide the funds for his contract and the monies he invested in his contract to help clean up the city of New Orleans.
• Representative from the local NAACP chapter read a letter: Proposing for Richard’s Disposal to adopt a budget to maintain its current contract from the City of New Orleans with Richards---to prevent the city from becoming involved in a costly legal battle.
• Sanitation ordinance to increase from $12 to $20 unanimously approved.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
NPN comments on proposed tax increase
Public gets one chance to talk about proposed tax increase
By Ariella Cohen, The Lens staff writer
For the first time since Mayor Mitch Landrieu proposed raising property taxes to balance the city’s 2011 budget, the tax-paying public on Wednesday will have a chance to weigh in on the issue. This first and only public hearing will be held just hours before the City Council is required by the City Charter to vote into law a roughly $485 million budget.
The public hearing on the proposed millage increase will begin Wednesday at 10 a.m. and conclude in time for the City Council to continue with its regular monthly meeting, a meeting that tomorrow will be dedicated to last-minute wrangling over departmental budgets and of course, the controversial tax increase.
Landrieu has proposed increasing the city’s property tax rate to the maximum approved by voters: a jump of 8.74 mills that amounts to a tax increase of about 7 percent. For the owner of a $150,000 home, the increase would mean paying an additional $75 in taxes per year. The owner of a $500,000 home would pay an additional $381 in taxes.
The millage increase is expected to raise $23 million. Each mill generates about $2.6 million, meaning that for every $2.6 million cut from the city or raised by alternate means, the council can reduce the property tax increase by a mill, which is equal to $1 in tax for every $1,000 of a home’s taxable assessed value, or $10,000 in real value.
Observers say that it is unlikely that many residents will attend tomorrow’s public hearing, given that it is during working hours and was not widely advertised. Prior council budget hearings attracted few observers for similar reasons. The Lens was the only media outlet to attend every day of hearings over the monthlong process.
“People want to weigh in because eventually the money is going to come out of their pocket, but the process makes it difficult,” said Aretha Frison, a representative of the Neighborhood Partnership Network, a coalition of neighborhood leaders and city residents. The organization advocates for a more open and transparent budget process through membership in the New Orleans Coalition on Open Governance. The coalition, to which The Len also belongs, asked the council to release its version of the budget last week so the public would have a chance to review the document before a vote. That obviously did not happen.
Frison said that while she hopes people come out tomorrow, she fears that the general public does not understand what is at stake.
“If I go to the store and someone helps me select an item, I know what it is and what it’ll cost,” she said. “With this budget, it’s like they want to sell us something but they wont tell us what it is.”
By Ariella Cohen, The Lens staff writer
For the first time since Mayor Mitch Landrieu proposed raising property taxes to balance the city’s 2011 budget, the tax-paying public on Wednesday will have a chance to weigh in on the issue. This first and only public hearing will be held just hours before the City Council is required by the City Charter to vote into law a roughly $485 million budget.
The public hearing on the proposed millage increase will begin Wednesday at 10 a.m. and conclude in time for the City Council to continue with its regular monthly meeting, a meeting that tomorrow will be dedicated to last-minute wrangling over departmental budgets and of course, the controversial tax increase.
Landrieu has proposed increasing the city’s property tax rate to the maximum approved by voters: a jump of 8.74 mills that amounts to a tax increase of about 7 percent. For the owner of a $150,000 home, the increase would mean paying an additional $75 in taxes per year. The owner of a $500,000 home would pay an additional $381 in taxes.
The millage increase is expected to raise $23 million. Each mill generates about $2.6 million, meaning that for every $2.6 million cut from the city or raised by alternate means, the council can reduce the property tax increase by a mill, which is equal to $1 in tax for every $1,000 of a home’s taxable assessed value, or $10,000 in real value.
Observers say that it is unlikely that many residents will attend tomorrow’s public hearing, given that it is during working hours and was not widely advertised. Prior council budget hearings attracted few observers for similar reasons. The Lens was the only media outlet to attend every day of hearings over the monthlong process.
“People want to weigh in because eventually the money is going to come out of their pocket, but the process makes it difficult,” said Aretha Frison, a representative of the Neighborhood Partnership Network, a coalition of neighborhood leaders and city residents. The organization advocates for a more open and transparent budget process through membership in the New Orleans Coalition on Open Governance. The coalition, to which The Len also belongs, asked the council to release its version of the budget last week so the public would have a chance to review the document before a vote. That obviously did not happen.
Frison said that while she hopes people come out tomorrow, she fears that the general public does not understand what is at stake.
“If I go to the store and someone helps me select an item, I know what it is and what it’ll cost,” she said. “With this budget, it’s like they want to sell us something but they wont tell us what it is.”
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
NPN Now Hiring for Operations Manager!
Operations Manager
Scope:
The Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of
Neighborhoods Partnership Network. S/He manages finances, membership and administrative/
operational support. This position is responsible for accurate record keeping and reporting in
compliance with NPN By-laws and grantor requirements. The Operations Manager reports to the
Executive Director.
Duties:
Financial:
• Assist with budgets, expense statements, and monthly review of finances
• Compliance with financial record keeping guidelines required by By-laws and grantors
i.e. quarterly reports and audit reports
• Ad-Hoc financial reports for Executive Director, Chairman, and Treasurer of the board
including, profit/loss; trial balance and income statement
• Liaise with the Finance Committee
Membership:
• Oversee all aspects of NPN membership including, but not limited to:
o Following up on new membership leads
o Coordinating membership campaigns
o Managing all related correspondence
o Maintaining accurate records in the database system
o Liaising with the Membership Committee
o Ensuring compliance with By-laws and Membership Policies
o Regular reporting
Operations/Administration:
Manage and prioritize a large volume of incoming communications and inquiries
•
Mintain database systems and ensure staff compliance with relevant policies and
procedures (i.e. Salesforce)
Manage calendar including coordination of meetings, events and conference calls
Oversee mail distribution, filing/records, faxing and ordering supplies
Provide support on special projects and to Executive Director and other staff, as needed
Please contact the NPN Office for more info/questions about this position at 504.940.2207
Scope:
The Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of
Neighborhoods Partnership Network. S/He manages finances, membership and administrative/
operational support. This position is responsible for accurate record keeping and reporting in
compliance with NPN By-laws and grantor requirements. The Operations Manager reports to the
Executive Director.
Duties:
Financial:
• Assist with budgets, expense statements, and monthly review of finances
• Compliance with financial record keeping guidelines required by By-laws and grantors
i.e. quarterly reports and audit reports
• Ad-Hoc financial reports for Executive Director, Chairman, and Treasurer of the board
including, profit/loss; trial balance and income statement
• Liaise with the Finance Committee
Membership:
• Oversee all aspects of NPN membership including, but not limited to:
o Following up on new membership leads
o Coordinating membership campaigns
o Managing all related correspondence
o Maintaining accurate records in the database system
o Liaising with the Membership Committee
o Ensuring compliance with By-laws and Membership Policies
o Regular reporting
Operations/Administration:
Manage and prioritize a large volume of incoming communications and inquiries
•
Mintain database systems and ensure staff compliance with relevant policies and
procedures (i.e. Salesforce)
Manage calendar including coordination of meetings, events and conference calls
Oversee mail distribution, filing/records, faxing and ordering supplies
Provide support on special projects and to Executive Director and other staff, as needed
Please contact the NPN Office for more info/questions about this position at 504.940.2207
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Trumpet Magazine Theme Announcement
The next issue of The Trumpet Magazine (May/June 2010) will spotlight the Faubourg St. John neighborhood and focus on music, art and culture in New Orleans.
The deadline for submissions is April 20th and should be sent to: thetrumpet@npnnola.com.
Here are some story ideas:
-interviews/profiles of local musicians or artists
-directory of art galleries
-stories related to cultural aspects that are specific to New Orleans
-your favorite New Orleans traditions
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
What format should I send my story in?
Literally, ANYTHING. You can hand write and snail mail to 4902 Canal st. room 301, email as a doc, docx or text file, or simply copy/paste into the body of the email. If I knew how to read morse code, you could send it that way as well.
How long should my story be?
The IDEAL perfect length (in terms of easy layout) is 400-500 words plus a photo. However, feature-length stories can run up to 1,000 words and blurbs as small as 250 words are great too. Don't worry if yours is too long or too short though, we've got an excellent team of volunteer copy editors who have their red pens ready!
Do you pay writers?
No. Unless you count getting published and having the satisfaction of sharing your story, thoughts and ideas with others a type of payment.
I don't have time to write a story; what else can I submit?
Besides articles and opinion pieces, we take photos, recipes, mini-blurbs, neighborhood updates...
I have a great idea for a story, but I'm not a "writer." Should I still try?
Absolutely! Most of our submissions are not from trained journalists, they're from regular people who just have something to say or share. You can even set up an appointment with the editor (me) to have an in-person "writing session" where I can help guide you in framing your story. Just email megan@npnnola.com
I work for a non-profit - can I submit a press release about my organization and the great work that we are doing?
We'd rather you didn't. The Trumpet Magazine represents "community voices orchestrating change," and is not a "catch all" free PR publication. We would, however, love to hear about SPECIFIC initiatives your non-profit is working on and how our network can BENEFIT from it. You can also submit recent success stories that will inspire and encourage neighborhoods and other non-profit groups.
Will my story be printed exactly as I wrote it?
Maybe. Maybe not. By submitting your story to The Trumpet Magazine, you are giving us permission and authority to correct it for spelling, grammar, length and redundancy. Don't worry - we won't take away from your message, we just want it to be presented in the best, most readable format.
Can I re-submit my story to other publications?
Absolutely! It's YOUR story. (And hey, we didn't pay for it).
The deadline for submissions is April 20th and should be sent to: thetrumpet@npnnola.com.
Here are some story ideas:
-interviews/profiles of local musicians or artists
-directory of art galleries
-stories related to cultural aspects that are specific to New Orleans
-your favorite New Orleans traditions
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
What format should I send my story in?
Literally, ANYTHING. You can hand write and snail mail to 4902 Canal st. room 301, email as a doc, docx or text file, or simply copy/paste into the body of the email. If I knew how to read morse code, you could send it that way as well.
How long should my story be?
The IDEAL perfect length (in terms of easy layout) is 400-500 words plus a photo. However, feature-length stories can run up to 1,000 words and blurbs as small as 250 words are great too. Don't worry if yours is too long or too short though, we've got an excellent team of volunteer copy editors who have their red pens ready!
Do you pay writers?
No. Unless you count getting published and having the satisfaction of sharing your story, thoughts and ideas with others a type of payment.
I don't have time to write a story; what else can I submit?
Besides articles and opinion pieces, we take photos, recipes, mini-blurbs, neighborhood updates...
I have a great idea for a story, but I'm not a "writer." Should I still try?
Absolutely! Most of our submissions are not from trained journalists, they're from regular people who just have something to say or share. You can even set up an appointment with the editor (me) to have an in-person "writing session" where I can help guide you in framing your story. Just email megan@npnnola.com
I work for a non-profit - can I submit a press release about my organization and the great work that we are doing?
We'd rather you didn't. The Trumpet Magazine represents "community voices orchestrating change," and is not a "catch all" free PR publication. We would, however, love to hear about SPECIFIC initiatives your non-profit is working on and how our network can BENEFIT from it. You can also submit recent success stories that will inspire and encourage neighborhoods and other non-profit groups.
Will my story be printed exactly as I wrote it?
Maybe. Maybe not. By submitting your story to The Trumpet Magazine, you are giving us permission and authority to correct it for spelling, grammar, length and redundancy. Don't worry - we won't take away from your message, we just want it to be presented in the best, most readable format.
Can I re-submit my story to other publications?
Absolutely! It's YOUR story. (And hey, we didn't pay for it).
311 Call Center - Dissolved
Effective Immediately - the 311 phone reporting system that handled city issues and problems has been dissolved. Here's the new system for reporting issues and problems in New Orleans;
Call 658-2299 and follow the prompts:
Press #1 for Public Works (potholes, clogged drains, missing street signs and traffic signal outages)
Press #2 for Housing / Code Enforcement (status of a hearing, report a blighted structure)
Press #3 for Environmental Health (vacant lot with high grass)
Press #4 for Department of Revenue (property tax, sales tax, occupational license, sanitation fee removal)
Press #5 for Parks & Parkways (City tree trim request or downed trees)
Press #6 for Emergency Preparedness (house elevation, hazardous mitigation, city assisted evacuation plan, Dept of Homeland Security)
Press #0 for all other Department / Agencies
To report streetlight outages, call 658.2299 and follow the prompts for streetlights. You will be directly connected with Robinson Industries, the City's contracted streetlight repair vendor.
Call 658-2299 and follow the prompts:
Press #1 for Public Works (potholes, clogged drains, missing street signs and traffic signal outages)
Press #2 for Housing / Code Enforcement (status of a hearing, report a blighted structure)
Press #3 for Environmental Health (vacant lot with high grass)
Press #4 for Department of Revenue (property tax, sales tax, occupational license, sanitation fee removal)
Press #5 for Parks & Parkways (City tree trim request or downed trees)
Press #6 for Emergency Preparedness (house elevation, hazardous mitigation, city assisted evacuation plan, Dept of Homeland Security)
Press #0 for all other Department / Agencies
To report streetlight outages, call 658.2299 and follow the prompts for streetlights. You will be directly connected with Robinson Industries, the City's contracted streetlight repair vendor.
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