Somebody Has to Say It: The New Year Calls for Action, Not Accusations or Anxiety for City Workers
If the new administration wants to signal a true break from the past, the message should be simple and immediate: fix the furlough situation—and fix it quickly. Show city workers that they are valued, not expendable. Show residents that accountability is real, not rhetorical.
The new year has arrived in New Orleans, but for far too many city workers it has come with anxiety instead of optimism. The prospect of furloughs—lost wages, disrupted lives, and financial uncertainty—casts a long shadow over what should be a season of renewal.
That alone demands serious attention. It also demands honesty.
This is not the time for a blame game. But it is also not the time for selective memory.
The city’s current financial crisis did not appear overnight, nor did it originate in a single office. It is the product of years of decisions, priorities and political dynamics that involved every branch of city government. Responsibility lies with outgoing Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s office, yes — but also with the City Council and others who exercised authority, oversight, and influence over budgets and policy during that time.
That includes the person now stepping into the mayor’s office – Mayor-elect Helena Moreno.
The mayor-elect did not arrive from the outside. She served on the City Council and played a role — like her colleagues — in shaping the fiscal environment the city now finds itself in. Acknowledging that reality is not an indictment; it is a matter of basic accountability. Leadership requires owning both what you inherit and what you helped create.
With that said, we really do not care who takes the blame because we know how that game is played. Those with the power argue over blame, while the powerless absorb the consequences. And that is what concerns us and should trouble all New Orleanians. Right now, the burden is falling on city employees—working-class people who keep the city running and who have little room to absorb unpaid time off. These workers did not design the budgets. They did not engage in political infighting. Yet they are being asked to sacrifice first.
That is not acceptable.
Any solution that begins with furloughs must be viewed as a temporary emergency measure at best—not a governing strategy. It cannot become the default fix for systemic problems, especially when those problems were years in the making. A path forward that stabilizes city finances by destabilizing families is neither fair nor sustainable.
As the new administration takes shape, there is understandable focus on leadership teams, restructuring, and setting priorities. But the contrast between tightening belts for frontline workers while City Hall reorganizes itself is not lost on the public. Perception matters, especially at moments like this. People want to see shared sacrifice, shared responsibility, and shared urgency.
This is not about vilifying the incoming mayor. It is about clarity. No one should come into office as if they are the lone ranger riding in to save the day. This crisis is collective, and so must be the response.
If the new administration wants to signal a true break from the past, the message should be simple and immediate: fix the furlough situation—and fix it quickly. Show city workers that they are valued, not expendable. Show residents that accountability is real, not rhetorical.
A new year should bring a new approach—one rooted in honesty, urgency, and respect for the people who hold this city together. New Orleans deserves nothing less.