Endorsements for the Nov. 15 Election

City elections are not over. Competitive contests for clerk of court and district council races remain. However, even if they did not, critical property taxes are on the ballot. At a time that the City of New Orleans faces a $160 million deficit, so large that our police and firemen may not get paychecks for the last two months of the year, the least that a citizen of the city could do is go to the ballot box.

Clerk Criminal District Court: Darren Lombard
Councilmember District A: Holly Friedman
Councilmember District E: Jason Hughes


PW Prop. No. 1 of 3 (Affordable Housing) – $45M Bond – CC – 30 Yrs.: VOTE NO
PW Prop. No. 2 of 3 (City Infrastructure) – $415M Bond – CC – 30 Yrs.: VOTE NO
PW Prop. No. 3 of 3 (Drainage & Stormwater Mgmt.) – $50M Bond – CC – 30 Yrs.; VOTE NO

There is a lot laudable to say about these proposals. Orleans Parish has a massive deficit of affordable housing. No one questions that our streets need more money to fix potholes, or that we have a collapsing drainage system.

The fact remains, however, that New Orleans City Council members and Sewerage & Water Board members have done a terrible job explaining how the money actually will be spent. At a time when this city has endured an unexpected $160 million deficit, spending overruns so serious that we may not be able to pay our critical public civil servants, a better job of explaining how new taxes will be spent is essential. Our editors are encouraging our readers to vote against all of the measures until the city government presents a fiscal reform plan that makes some kind of budgetary sense!

PW HRC Amendment No. 2 of 2 – Amends Art. IV, Sec. 4-406 – CC: VOTE YES
The city attorney serves as the municipality’s lawyer for legal disputes involving the City. Currently, the mayor appoints this attorney and has the power to remove him or her without the City Council’s approval.

This Home Rule Charter amendment would establish the “independence” of the city attorney, directing them to remain impartial in council-mayor legal conflicts and to enact protections from removal by allowing City Council rejection of any dismissal. The council would also have the power to confirm the mayor appointment and the amendment stipulates the city attorney must serve the “municipal corporation,” which is the City of New Orleans, not the executive branch.

This article originally published in the November 10, 2025 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.