I will get rid of that position. That position is a lackey.

I will launch a full-scale, transparent search for a Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), prioritizing qualified New Orleanians first and, only if necessary, seeking talent from outside our city. Under Section 7.03 of the City Charter, the Mayor nominates the CAO—an unclassified executive position requiring confirmation by the City Council. I will conduct this search in 

partnership with local experts, community leaders, and residents, providing public updates at each stage to demonstrate respect, inclusion, and accountability. 

Minimum qualifications will include at least three years of executive-level experience in municipal operations or government management. Key skills must include fiscal oversight, zero-based budgeting, cross-departmental coordination, and large-scale project execution. I will prioritize candidates with experience in infrastructure, workforce development, and hurricane-resilient systems. 

If no qualified local candidate emerges, I will broaden the search nationally—while upholding the same high standards. A diverse selection committee, including civil service representatives, technical experts, and neighborhood voices, will help review finalists to ensure transparency and public input. 

Now that City Council confirmation is required for top appointments, this process ensures checks, balance, and charter compliance. My goal: hire a CAO who can unify our government, optimize service delivery, and lead with vision, equity, and efficiency for New Orleans.

The CAO must be a proven leader in management, finance, and innovation. I will prioritize experience in reform, transparency, and community engagement. The

CAO will embody wisdom, purpose, and a commitment to building unity in government operations.

The CAO is the city’s chief operating officer, not a political figure. They are responsible for making city services work. I will conduct a national search, informed by input from public sector experts and city staff, to identify someone with a record of delivering measurable results in complex environments but also understands our city. The CAO must bring deep experience in budgeting, procurement, HR, and performance management. Just as important, they must value the people of this city and the public servants who show up every day to serve them. The right CAO will embrace New Orleans’ culture, not just its org charts. I’m looking for a leader who prioritizes action over appearance, understands balancing collaboration with control, and leads from the front. I want someone with integrity to challenge me when needed. The public deserves decisions made through honest debate, not groupthink. These requirements will not just extend to my CAO but to every department head and appointee because I believe leadership is about surrounding yourself with the best of the best. Our CAO will be empowered to manage daily operations, lead STAT programs, bust silos, and publicly report on performance. Our residents deserve a CAO who works for them. 

I want a CAO with an MBA or a Masters in Public Administration.

I have committed to conducting a national search for the next CAO. I want someone tough, efficient, and experienced - a force multiplier who I and the people can trust and respect. Nothing will change without a strong person in this position. 

Past experience. A turn around perspective and goal setting with time line. 

My Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) will be the city’s top operations executive; and, I will treat this hire with the urgency and strategic focus it demands. I will form a local task force of experts and residents to lead a national search for a candidate who understands New Orleans, delivers results, and knows how to make government work for the people.

With my business degree and background, I will ensure the CAO is someone who not only understands how to develop clear KPIs and performance systems, but also knows how to communicate transparently with the public. The right candidate must have a proven record of turning around complex bureaucracies, managing large teams, and delivering measurable improvements in city services. Please see the Measuring Impact goals I’ve outlined in my policy platform at otforus.com for the kind of KPI’s I’ll expect. 

I’ll look for someone who blends private-sector efficiency with public-sector accountability, a leader who operates with urgency, integrity, and innovation. Just as importantly, they must be a people-first leader who can cut red tape, build a culture of excellence, and make hard decisions without political interference.

This hire is about trust and transformation. I won’t settle for anything less than a high-impact leader who can help restore confidence in city government and deliver real results for New Orleanians. 

We will hire a Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) through an open, competitive, and transparent process that prioritizes professional qualifications over political loyalty. The CAO will not be a political appointee but a proven manager with a track record of reforming large, complex organizations. 

We will look for someone with experience in municipal or public sector management, preferably with a background in modernizing outdated systems, overseeing infrastructure projects, and implementing technology-driven solutions. A strong financial background is critical. Our CAO must understand budgets, pensions, and debt while being able to negotiate major contracts without caving to special interests. 

Equally important is independence. The CAO must have zero ties to New Orleans’ political machine, nonprofits seeking city contracts, or entrenched power brokers. Integrity, transparency, and a commitment to public service will be non-negotiable. 

In short: we will seek a reformer. Someone with the courage to cut red tape, the skill to implement efficiency across departments, and the vision to ensure city government finally works for residents, not the connected few. 

We won’t have one so it doesn’t matter.

Under the New Orleans Home Rule Charter, the Mayor holds the authority to appoint department heads, including those who fall under the supervision of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). While the CAO may identify or recommend department heads in the city's organizational structure, it is ultimately the Mayor who nominates these individuals, and their appointments are subject to City Council confirmation, as mandated by a 2022 charter amendment. This amendment introduced a key layer of checks and balances by requiring Council approval for any administrative appointment to lead executive branch departments established under Article IV of the Charter. Additionally, the Council may, by ordinance, extend this confirmation requirement to other executive offices. Interim appointments are permitted for up to 120 days without Council confirmation, after which formal approval is required. This process ensures that leadership selections are not only vetted internally but also publicly reviewed, promoting transparency, accountability, and broader trust in city governance. I will follow the charter. 

Yes. To ensure fairness and reduce political interference, the CAO will be empowered to select department heads based on qualifications, performance, and

accountability to the people.

The Charter empowers the CAO to appoint department heads, but most appointments also require City Council confirmation. But political oversight should not mean political interference. We will make clear that department heads must be chosen for their qualifications, leadership ability, and alignment with service delivery goals, not their campaign connections or loyalty to any one person. The CAO will lead recruitment and selection with a focus on professional, mission-driven leadership. The CAO and I will work in close partnership to ensure agency leadership reflects our shared vision. But I will not handpick or sideline professional candidates in favor of political showmanship. We need people who can fix potholes, create programs for our children, keep us safe, not just polish their political résumés. I will also respect the Council’s role in evaluating and confirming appointments. It is time to end the culture of dysfunction that has come to dominate the relationship between the Mayor and Councilmembers. While we will have disagreements, I will always be willing to engage in discussion with Councilmembers to move our city forward. The people of New Orleans deserve department heads who serve them, not political interests. That’s the standard we’ll set and the culture we’ll lead. 

Yes—with my approval.

Hiring will not be political when I am mayor. I will demand the best of the best regardless of background, political persuasion, or personal connections. If you cannot do the job at a high level, you cannot have it. 

The Chief Administrative Officer is the key person responsible for delivering outstanding city services to residents. That said, the buck stops at the mayor’s office, and I will hold both the CAO and department heads accountable. 

I want to avoid situations like the recent one, where the CAO and CFO were at odds over whether a budget crisis even existed. I will address any mismanagement of the annual operating budgets, with an additional focus on capital projects, where hundreds of building projects across the city have been launched without the necessary funding to complete them. 

Yes, with the condition they are equally approved by 3 of 5 review committee reporting to the CAO.

Yes. I believe in hiring strong, competent leaders and then trusting them to do their jobs. That includes giving my Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) the authority outlined in the City Charter to select department heads based on qualifications, performance, and the needs of our residents, not political favors. 

As mayor, my focus will be on outcomes. The CAO will be expected to build a high-performing, mission-driven leadership team that can deliver on our core commitments: faster permits, restored trash pickup, reliable infrastructure repairs, and responsive city services. That means hiring department heads who are experienced, innovative, and accountable to the people. 

While I’ll stay informed and involved in setting the vision, I will not micromanage the hiring process. My administration will be guided by transparency, merit, and results, again not politics. I’ve been in city leadership before and I understand that when we let professionals lead, services improve and public trust grows. 

Yes. The entire point of hiring a Chief Administrative Officer is to end the cycle of political interference and cronyism in city government. Department heads should be chosen based on merit, qualifications, and a proven record of service not on who they know or what political machine they belong to. By empowering the CAO to make these selections independently, we ensure that professional management replaces patronage. This creates accountability, efficiency, and restores public trust. 

Read my lips. NO NEW TAXES!

As Mayor, I do not support increasing taxes unless it becomes an absolute last resort. I believe residents are already carrying a significant burden, and my priority is to explore every possible alternative before considering any form of tax adjustment. That is why I will implement a "90-Day State of the City" assessment, requiring all departments and offices to conduct thorough 

evaluations of their budgets, operations, and efficiencies. This review will give us a clear, honest picture of the city’s financial health and expose areas where we can streamline services, cut waste, and reallocate existing resources more effectively. 

My focus is on healing systemic inefficiencies and identifying long-term cost-saving measures before ever asking residents to pay more. We must exhaust every internal solution—such as office consolidations, workforce development, and smarter project management—before considering revenue increases. Fiscal responsibility starts with leadership, and I am committed to rebuilding trust by managing the city's existing funds wisely and transparently. 

I will avoid burdening working families. Before considering tax changes, we will cut inefficiencies. If adjustments are needed, they will focus on fairness and long-

term economic growth.

As mayor, I will not propose any new tax increases unless and until we prove to the public that we are responsibly managing the resources we already have. We must first fix service delivery, eliminate waste, and create transparency around how dollars are spent. I also strongly oppose raising sales taxes, which disproportionately hurt working families. That’s why I voted against the recent state tax package that cut income taxes while raising the state sales tax, a policy I believe makes inequality worse. That said, our city’s tax structure is broken. As mayor, we will support a full review of dedications, exemptions, and cooperative endeavor agreements and work with the legislature and Council to rebalance who pays and how. 

Reforming how we fund local government must be part of a larger conversation about fairness, sustainability, and accountability. I’m ready to lead that conversation, but we need to get our house in order first. 

I oppose new taxes and I want the city to collect past due and underpaid taxes.

No. I do not support raising taxes at this time. Before we can go to the people to raise revenue, they need to have confidence that the money will be well spent. Otherwise, any effort will simply not pass. I want to start building confidence on day one, not just with words, but with action. 

However, let me be clear: our infrastructure and especially our stormwater drainage system is deteriorating, and it will require additional funding to prevent further catastrophic failure. If and when we do go to the people for more funding for drainage, we will not play games. We will request exactly what is needed for a reasonable amount of time and ensure the language is ironclad, so the funding cannot be diverted. 

Yes, complete review and incentives for new business generation and expansion of work form on satisfactory jobs and pay. 

In District E 50% property tax reduction for 3 years to enable blight and hazards to be corrected within 18 months of implementation. 

Speed cameras removed and refunded for past tickets of 12 months including tow fees. 

Removal of all public parking meters and fees. 

I will not ask New Orleanians to pay more until we’ve proven that city government can do more with what it already has. Our priority must be restoring basic services, trash pickup, pothole repairs, permitting, 911 staffing, by increasing efficiency, eliminating waste, and better managing existing revenues. 

That said, I support a smarter, fairer tax structure. Too many working families carry the burden while billion-dollar entities and out-of-town profiteers aren’t paying their fair share. At the same time, we continue sending too much to Baton Rouge without receiving what we need in return, despite being the economic engine of Louisiana. As mayor, I’ll work with our legislative delegation and state leaders to explore ways to reinvest more of those state-collected dollars back into New Orleans, including potential tax reapportionment. 

I’ll also work with the Assessor’s Office to raise the homestead exemption from $75,000 to $100,000, cutting property tax costs and easing the burden on homeowners. Families here are being squeezed, and it’s time we align with national trends that prioritize keeping residents in their homes and making New Orleans a more affordable place to live. 

I will not raise property taxes on New Orleanians. Our residents are already overburdened while nonprofits, special interests, and corporations often avoid paying their fair share. Instead, we will cut property taxes over time by creating new revenue streams that shift the burden away from working families. 

Our campaign proposes an AI and automation tax on corporations that replace local jobs with machines, as well as a small business tiered tax (capped at 3%) for those making over $250,000 annually, with waivers if they invest directly in neighborhood infrastructure. Large corporations would face an 8–10% local tax, particularly those profiting from our resources while giving little back. 

We will also explore taking over Entergy New Orleans, creating a public utility that not only lowers bills but generates revenue by selling excess power. These measures allow us to decrease property taxes, fund infrastructure, and ensure fairness in how the city raises revenue. 

Where do I begin? Let’s start with the CAO.

I believe in streamlining rather than totally eliminating city programs—especially when residents depend on these services for daily stability and quality of life. My approach is rooted in data, accountability, and equity. That’s why I will implement the 90-Day State of the City review, requiring every department and agency to transparently assess their operations, budgets, and impact. This ensures we all work from the same baseline and can make informed decisions on where adjustments are necessary. 

Instead of blanket cuts, I will focus on consolidating offices with overlapping functions, improving coordination, and removing inefficiencies that slow progress. For example, the Office of Resilience and Sustainability should be integrated under the Department of Public Works. The skills and resources required, along with mandates in the City Charter, cannot be fully met without close coordination with Public Works’ project management. This consolidation would give resilience planning more influence, speed up project execution, and help avoid delays seen in critical projects like Lincoln Beach. 

Streamlining reduces costs while strengthening delivery and accountability. If cuts are necessary, I will cut decisively and thoughtfully—if it must go, it will. My goal is a government that works smarter and delivers efficient, equitable results for every resident. 

We will reduce duplicative agencies, streamline contracting, and shift funds toward safety, education, and community-building programs that uplift opportunity and

culture.

New Orleanians are not getting what they pay for. As mayor, I’ll direct a complete top-to-bottom review of all city offices, programs, and spending obligations, including those created through executive order, pilot initiatives, or cooperative agreements. This is why the selection of the right CAO will be integral to my administration. Too many programs operate without clear performance goals or oversight. Some have been layered on top of others, duplicating services already offered by departments, the state, or our local non-profits. We will consolidate overlapping back-office functions, such as property management, compliance, and facilities coordination, and redirect those savings to frontline services. In particular, we will reexamine offices and initiatives that were created without clear performance plans or that now operate without connection to core service delivery, including some standalone mayoral programs. We’ll work with the Council to review legacy dedications and contracts that no longer reflect today’s needs. Eliminating waste isn’t symbolic; it’s about aligning our budget with the things people rely on every day: trash pickup, drainage, permitting, safety, and customer service. This is how we make our city not just more affordable, but more livable and business-friendly. That’s where the focus and the dollars need to go. 

The city needs to stop allowing the council to spend $7 million per year on so-called non-profits—many of which are not registered as such with the IRS or the LA Sec. of State.

The mayor must work with the city council, set priorities, and demand results from her team. Several departments are in crisis. For example, a dysfunctional Safety & Permits is causing serious harm to our economy and public safety. 

Another example is the city’s Department of Economic Development. It is tiny, with fewer than two full-time staff members dedicated to this all-important task. I will work with the city council to build up that department so we can create more jobs, help businesses, and attract new investment. 

I will bring in the auditors and install experts throughout city hall to identify opportunities for savings, working with the council to use a scalpel, not a battle ax, but it may be no less painful. I promise that for every new bright idea, program, or initiative coming out of my administration, there will be an objective assessment of both the cost and the benefit. Everything must fit. We cannot just print more money like they do in Washington, D.C. 

The overview committee of 5 will review all programs and we will work from their recommendations. 

Before considering any cuts to frontline services, my first priority will be eliminating waste. 

Too many city dollars are lost to bureaucracy, inefficiency, and unchecked contracts. That’s why we’ll implement a robust benchmarking process, comparing our spending, staffing, and service outcomes against other well-run cities, to identify overlapping functions, outdated systems, and underperforming programs that aren’t delivering value to residents. 

I’ll streamline top-heavy agencies and redirect resources to services people see and rely on every day, like sanitation, infrastructure repair, and emergency response. Every department will be accountable to clear performance standards, and we’ll evaluate all contracts to ensure we’re getting results, not just cutting checks. 

This isn’t about cutting for the sake of cutting. It’s about aligning spending with impact. That means reevaluating low-performing programs, restructuring outdated permitting and enforcement systems, and using technology to reduce duplication and manual processes. 

We intend to consolidate over 80 city departments into fewer than 50, cutting through layers of bureaucracy that exist only to protect political interests. Our goal is simple: end the fraud, waste, and abuse that has drained New Orleans for decades. That means merging the Sewerage & Water Board with Public Works into a single, accountable infrastructure department. It means taking over Entergy New Orleans and reforming it into a modern, NOPSI-style public utility that delivers affordable power and revenue back to our people. 

We will also abolish the Sheriff’s Office and place the Orleans Justice Center under NOPD control, creating a unified public safety system that ends turf wars and waste. And most importantly, we will eliminate the Mayor’s Office: the largest seat of corruption in New Orleans. By dismantling this failed executive structure, we return power to the people through a council–commissioner model that ensures transparency, efficiency, and accountability. 

I think it should be approved and we will start by wiping out everything that has existed and starting at Ground Zero.

Improving the management and efficiency of city government begins with clear coordination and transparency. Too often, confusion and siloed decision-making slow down progress. My top priority will be implementing a 90-Day State of the City Report. Each department and office head will submit a public-facing review of operations—identifying setbacks and offering solutions to improve morale, resource use, and resident satisfaction. A panel of directors, experts, and community leaders will ensure these reviews reflect equity and accountability from day one. 

I will also create a centralized infrastructure project management system and hire experienced professionals to oversee city projects—ensuring they're delivered on time, within budget, and to high standards. This team will coordinate across departments, use transparent tracking, and keep the public informed. Critical repairs, proactive pothole fixes, and resilient stormwater investments will be prioritized. 

I will pursue office consolidation to reduce redundancy, cut waste, and reinvest in our workforce through fair pay, training, and internal promotions—preserving institutional knowledge and strengthening city services. 

Finally, I propose an Office of Education focused on coordination, not control—aligning youth programming, workforce training, and trades education. From young people to adults, we must help New Orleanians build meaningful futures through lifelong learning and skills development. 

My administration will strengthen city government by aligning communications, actions, and accountability. We will modernize operations, cut waste, and implement

data-driven systems that prioritize life, liberty, due process, and equal access to justice. Efficiency means faster services for residents, from permits to public works,

so New Orleans thrives as a safe, affordable, and sustainable city.

Yes, city government must become more effective, more transparent, and create a true culture of accountability to the people it serves. That means real structural reform, not just new tech or slogans, but leadership that understands operations. We will relaunch public-facing STAT programs as real-time accountability forums where departments present performance data, confront bottlenecks, and collaborate on solutions. These won’t be passive dashboards. They’ll be standing venues for interdepartmental problem-solving, service coordination, and resident feedback. To support this, we will bring 311 services back in-house from OPCD, so that the city, not a separate agency, owns resident requests from intake to resolution. Requests logged through 311 will be directly tied into our STAT programs so the public can track follow-through. I’ll empower the CAO to manage day-to-day operations and lead a full review of duplicative management layers, siloed functions, and spending that doesn’t support core services. That includes consolidating support systems like permitting, work orders, and procurement. New Orleanians are tired of dysfunction. They deserve a government that takes its job seriously, and I will be the mayor who makes that happen. 

It will be improved by holding the department heads to key performance indicators.

I promise to be a mayor who leads by example and gets things done. I will be consistent, available, and honest on issues big and small, even if the truth is hard to hear. Especially when things go wrong, I will explain what happened and fix the problem. Then, I will hold everyone accountable for their actions, deliberately and fairly. 

At the heart of this is a simple goal: delivering core city services—every day, for everyone. Bringing city leadership back to basics, where the mayor and her team are present, responsive, and focused on results. To do it, I will: 

1. Conduct a thorough evaluation of current city leadership and audit budgets. 

2. Empower the right people and implement a new organizational chart to ensure clear lines of authority. 

3. Implement rigorous performance management systems where each part of city hall sets goals and evaluates progress systematically and publicly. 

4. Aggressively manage my senior team to coordinate, troubleshoot issues, and ensure efficiency. 

5. In-source more capacity to fix streets, streetlights, and stoplights so we don’t have to hire a contractor for every little thing. 

Complete review of top to bottom of all departments with an oversight committee of 5 individuals who reside in Orleans. 

New Orleanians deserve a city that works; and under my leadership, we’ll get back to the basics and get it right. I’ll modernize city services with a clear 90-30 plan: 90-day pothole repairs, 30-day streetlight fixes, and the return of twice-a-week trash pickup. We’ll streamline permitting with a conditional permitting process that speeds up development and reduces bureaucratic delays. I’ll invest in hiring and fully staffing departments like 911 and sanitation to ensure faster response times and cleaner streets. 

To ensure government works for the people, I’ll prioritize transparency, accountability, and data-driven management. We will evaluate and restructure departments to eliminate redundancy and waste, while reinvesting savings directly into services that residents see and feel. I’ll also launch a City Services Performance Dashboard so residents can track results in real time. 

Ultimately, this is about restoring trust. I’m not running just to hold office; I’m running to fix what’s broken so that our residents can live in a New Orleans where they can see themselves here for the long haul. 

 Our campaign will improve management and efficiency by dismantling the centralized mayoral system that has fostered corruption and dysfunction, and replacing it with a council–commissioner model. This structure expands the council to include true neighborhood representation, giving communities like the Ninth Ward, Algiers, French Quarter, etc a dedicated council person that brings people more people to the table. Commissioners will oversee departments based on expertise rather than political connections, ensuring qualified, accountable leadership. 

We will merge overlapping agencies, such as the Sewerage & Water Board with Public Works and create a Department of Innovation and Technology that will aid all other departments, such as the new Office of Small Business and Corporate Development, to streamline permitting, licensing, and digital services across government. A dedicated business office will cut red tape, with divisions tailored to mom-and-pop shops, midsize businesses, and corporations. 

Transparency and accountability will be built in by prohibiting city commissioners from serving on nonprofit or contractor boards, ending the cycle of conflicts of interest. Together, these changes will replace political patronage with professional management, eliminate waste, and finally align city government with the needs of residents rather than the demands of special interests.

Hell yeah, if the NORD employees can get paid on time.

As mayor, I would not support creating a brand-new Office of Innovation and Technology at this time—but I fully agree with the Coalition’s goals of improving government-wide coordination, data transparency, and digital infrastructure. This is exactly where understanding how our government already works can save taxpayer dollars while still delivering strong outcomes. 

The Chief Administrative Office currently includes a position focused on innovation, and the City's Department of Information Technology and Innovation—led by CIO Kim LaGrue—already houses some of the most talented IT professionals in the country. Rather than create another office with overlapping duties and added cost, I would focus on strengthening and properly resourcing our existing IT infrastructure. 

We can still achieve the Coalition’s goals—modernizing systems for NOPD, the courts, and the DA—through improved coordination within the current framework, ensuring that experienced leaders are empowered to lead cross-agency digital transformation. 

My administration will prioritize interagency data-sharing, cybersecurity, digital service upgrades, and user-friendly tools for the public. But we’ll do it through smarter collaboration, not unnecessary government expansion. 

Innovation doesn’t always require creating something new—sometimes, it means investing wisely in what’s already working. 

Yes. Centralizing technology will strengthen communication across agencies, improve efficiency, and reduce waste. This ensures justice, safety, and progress areserved by modern tools.

I fully support the spirit of this recommendation and will take steps to centralize and modernize the city’s information technology systems. But I’m not interested in simply creating a new office for the sake of optics. My goal is functional integration, not added bureaucracy. As mayor, I’ll first direct the CAO to conduct a full audit of current IT systems, staffing, and vendor contracts across city departments and public safety entities. From there, we’ll develop a consolidated IT governance model that can oversee major upgrades, enforce data standards, and ensure interoperability across systems, including permitting, procurement, case management, asset and facility management, and 311. If that structure takes the form of a new Office of Innovation and Technology, it will be tightly focused on delivery, transparency, and results, not marketing. We will ensure it’s designed to streamline functions, eliminate duplicative spending, and serve the public, not just internal users. This city can’t move forward with 1990s infrastructure. Whether it’s solving crime, filling potholes, or paying vendors, we need modern tools to deliver real-time, accountable public service. I’m ready to make that happen. 

That office needs to be implemented immediately and include the use of AI.

Data integration across local government, and especially across the criminal justice system, is essential for two main reasons: (1) to increase transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness, and (2) so people working in the system, from cops, prosecutors, judges, and deputies to the clerk and auditor, can do their jobs. In that spirit, I have already requested that the Sheriff’s Office use the city’s accounting system, BRASS, so we can see how taxpayer dollars are being spent. I would welcome more data-sharing partnerships with the Sheriff, especially when it comes to assisting re-entry efforts. 

There may be additional opportunities to pull information from the DA and across local, state, and federal courts, along with law enforcement in other jurisdictions and other sources. This information, delivered to a police officer responding to a 9-1-1 call or a detective gathering evidence from a murder, could be the difference between life and death, cracking the case, or letting a murderer go. 

During the transition and my first 100 days in office, I will collaborate with NOPD, the Sheriff, DA, judges, and highly skilled experts to assess our current tech and provide recommendations. 

This is most important and we will use technology to achieve desired effective results. 

100% City Hall employee accountability from time clock to project management and cost controls. 

Yes! I support creating an Office of Innovation and Technology to modernize how city government operates and serves the public We cannot continue to run a 21st-century city with outdated 20th-century systems. From permitting to policing, our residents deserve a government that is transparent, efficient, and data-driven. 

As mayor, I will establish a citywide Chief Technology and Innovation Officer to lead this office with a clear mandate: streamline systems, eliminate duplication, and ensure secure, user-friendly technology across agencies. That includes connecting systems between NOPD, courts, EMS, and 911 to improve response times and public safety coordination. 

But this office won’t just serve the government, it will serve people. We’ll create easy-to-use public dashboards, improve digital services like permitting and bill payments, and explore tools to reduce wait times and improve customer experience. 

Yes. This is simple common sense. 

Oh, yeah. Definitely. By the way, what do they do?

I fully support reforming New Orleans’ Civil Service system to cut red tape, improve hiring efficiency, and ensure high-performance across city government. Our current framework is outdated and has severely limited the city’s ability to hire and retain the talent we need, especially in critical departments like NOPD, EMS, and Code Enforcement. Recent data shows that only 1% of nearly 2,600 applicants became NOPD officers last year, and some departments have used as little as 37% of their staffing budgets due to vacancies. 

As mayor, I will lead a comprehensive reform of Civil Service by pushing for a hybrid system that preserves merit-based hiring while giving department heads more flexibility to fill vacancies efficiently. I support establishing a centralized internal HR function, as recommended by the 

City Services Coalition, to streamline recruitment and better align staff deployment with departmental needs. 

Immediate priorities will include virtual testing, faster background checks, and listening to our staff for streamlining ideas. I’ll also advocate for updates to the Civil Service Commission and state laws to modernize pay scales and classification systems. 

This is about transforming Civil Service into a system that works for today’s workforce—reducing delays, supporting city employees, and delivering better services to residents. 

Yes. We will cut red tape while protecting fairness, life, and liberty. Reforms will make hiring faster, improve training, and support accountable, motivated

employees.

Yes, the Civil Service system must become an agile entity, able to adapt to changes in technology and employment trends to maximize the value that our public servants deliver to residents. To me, “reform” is not a code word for politicizing public jobs or undermining worker protections. We will lead a collaborative process that results in nimble operation, respects merit-based hiring, and strengthens service delivery. We will work with the Civil Service Commission, department heads, frontline workers, and community stakeholders to identify bottlenecks in hiring timelines, job classifications and progressions, and disciplinary processes. Delays in filling vacancies, overly rigid job categories, and a lack of opportunities to advance are hurting our ability to staff core functions like permitting, sanitation, and public safety. Our administration will evaluate hybrid models that balance civil service protections with increased flexibility for departments to innovate, restructure, and manage performance. Any changes must improve outcomes for residents while ensuring fairness and transparency for employees. Ultimately, a modern city workforce needs modern personnel practices that value people, reward results, and adapt to the real-world needs of service delivery. I will lead with respect for our workers, but with urgency to get things done. 

Civil Service operates as a silo and needs more oversight.

I will work closely with the civil service commission to make City Hall a great place to work. I want to reward merit, reduce hiring wait times, and empower managers to lead their teams effectively. In short, I respect what the Civil Service is trying to do and why it is there. I want workers to be protected from capricious senior officials who just want to bring in their friends and political supporters. However, I also want to be able to conduct the people's business without encountering any absurd processes or timelines. There is a balance which I will seek to strike

Yes, yes, yes. First recommendation within 30 days of installation as Mayor. 

Absolutely. Our Civil Service system was designed to protect fairness, but in its current form, it too often blocks efficiency, slows hiring, and stifles innovation. As mayor, I’ll work with the Civil Service Commission, city employees, and labor partners to modernize the system so we can hire faster, manage better, and deliver real results for the people of New Orleans. 

We cannot fix city services if we can’t even fill critical vacancies. I’ll advocate for streamlining the hiring process, reducing excessive layers of approval, and expanding the use of temporary and emergency hires for essential roles in sanitation, 911, permitting, and more. We’ll also implement performance evaluations and accountability systems that reward excellence and make it easier to address persistent underperformance. 

We’ll go further by investing in the future of our public workforce. By partnering with our public schools and local universities, we’ll create clear pipelines into civil service careers, training the next generation of public safety officers, emergency dispatchers, and frontline workers. These young people will receive job training and signing bonuses to join the workforce, creating real career opportunities while strengthening our city services. 

Yes. Reforming the Civil Service system is essential if we want a city government that actually works for the people. Today, red tape slows hiring, protects underperforming workers, and drives away talented New Orleanians who want to serve their city. 

Our plan is to streamline hiring and promotions by moving away from political favoritism and towards merit- and skill-based advancement. We will modernize evaluation standards so performance—not seniority or political connections—guides pay and promotions. We will also cut excessive layers of approval and paperwork that delay filling critical positions, especially in infrastructure and public safety. 

At the same time, we will create a local workforce pipeline by tying Civil Service reform to our public works scholarship program and apprenticeship tracks, ensuring residents of New Orleans have a fair shot at good-paying city jobs. In short: Civil Service will be reformed to reward excellence, speed up hiring, and put our people first. 

To improve and expedite city permits, again, my administration will kick off a 90-Day State of the City, dedicating focused time to identify systemic failures and reform paths. Delays often result from understaffing, siloed departments, and outdated workflows. According to recent reporting, our permitting system continues to function in disarray—waiting periods stretch for months, residents face inconsistent processes, and they lack sufficient inspectors and operational leadership. 

During the first 90 days, I’ll appoint a three-person review panel—comprising the Permits Department Director, a process improvement expert, and a community representative—to map the current system, gather feedback, and propose recommendations for streamlining across agencies to ensure customer satisfaction. 

Following that, we will dramatically expand and resource our inspector workforce, leveraging recent City Council changes that remove residency restrictions to attract qualified candidates while raising salaries to retain them. We will also invest in technology and look at the electronic permitting platform to see if it offer real-time tracking and communication with applicants. Like our residents deserve. 

Performance metrics and clear response timelines—such as the proposed 15-day departmental review period—will be enforced. Together, this plan eliminates silos, speeds approvals, enhances safety inspections, and rebuilds permit processes that support growth instead of stalling it. 

We will digitize and streamline permits, cutting delays. By aligning technology with human service, residents and businesses will experience a transparent,

responsive process that fuels economic growth.

Fixing permitting will be one of my top operational priorities as mayor. This is a core service, and we will treat it that way. New Orleans needs to compete on the same level as Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas. We will consolidate permitting under a single chain of command with clear accountability and authority. Today, permitting is spread across multiple departments with conflicting rules, timelines, and customer service practices. We will relaunch the city’s public-facing STAT programs with permitting as a standing focus. We’ll track average approval times, backlog volumes, and staff capacity, and we’ll report it and discuss solutions publicly. Departments will be expected to problem-solve collaboratively. We will also update and streamline the LAMA portal to improve efficiency. We will invest in staff training and tools to improve consistency and transparency. Permitting should be predictable, navigable, and fair, not a maze of unclear requirements and outdated systems. Finally, our administration will leverage technologies to integrate 311 and permitting data into a single platform, enabling us to manage public facilities maintenance and gain a comprehensive understanding of the resident experience. That’s what it means to run a government like a service. 

Permit issuance needs to be updated and they need to understand the urgency of issuance.

I will prioritize core services at Safety and Permits, as well as Code Enforcement. Implement ‘Fairness For Permitting’ and introduce a ‘concierge service’ for permitting. New technology-assisted customer service platforms can also help us meet ambitious new service goals, such as providing next-day inspections and responses to applicants within 72 hours. 

Also, I will take to heart the idea that we cannot manage what we cannot measure. So, we will be tracking and monitoring everything, setting big goals for improved service experience, monitoring progress, and holding people accountable. 

Complete overhaul and tracking of not just permits but the City stall to meet and exceed the public expectations. Same-day permits on most projects not requiring life safety per Life Safety handbook. 

First, I will implement conditional permitting, allowing safe and compliant projects to begin while final paperwork is completed—so businesses and homeowners aren’t stuck waiting months to move forward. We’ll also modernize the permitting platform with real-time tracking, digital submissions, and automatic status updates to eliminate bottlenecks and reduce confusion. 

Every corner of New Orleans will have access to city services through satellite offices in the East, Lakeview, and the Westbank. These offices will bring city government closer to where people live and work. Residents and contractors will be able to manage permits near job sites, not just downtown, making it easier to invest in every neighborhood. 

Second, I’ll relaunch and fully operationalize a One-Stop Permitting Hub at City Hall to coordinate across departments, eliminatesilos, and accelerate decision-making. Every applicant will have access to clear timelines, accountability standards, and dedicated support. 

We’ll also fully staff and train our permitting team, and they won’t be stuck behind desks. They’ll be proactive: checking in on projects, flagging delays, providing solutions, and keeping things moving, especially for small businesses and homeowners trying to build and grow.

We will overhaul permitting by building a Department of Innovation and Technology that supports every city agency with modern, unified systems. This office will replace the patchwork of outdated platforms with a single, user-friendly digital dashboard where residents and businesses can track applications in real time. 

At the same time, we will create a new Office of Small Business and Corporate Development that directly oversees permitting and licensing. This office will have dedicated divisions tailored to the needs of mom-and-pop shops, midsize businesses, and large corporations; cutting red tape and ending the one-size-fits-all process that frustrates everyone. 

By combining technology upgrades with a business-centered permitting office, we will make approvals faster, easier, and more transparent. No more waiting months for basic licenses. No more getting lost in bureaucratic loops. The goal is simple: permitting that works at the speed of our people, not the pace of politics.