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We held this budget address in Gallier Hall to
commemorate how far we as a city have come in the last 40 years; and how far this
administration has come. It's hard to believe how incredible our road to success has been.
In hindsight, it seems quite natural that we succeeded in expanding the convention center,
that we revised the city charter, that we have a comprehensive capital improvements
program, and that we are reforming and reorganizing the police department. We must
continue to refine the operations of city government, staying true to the words of Mayor
Morrison 40 years ago - the budget figures must be considered in terms of public policy
and our responsibility to the people of our city. -Mayor Marc H. Morial Third Budget Address Members of the City Council and fellow New Orleanians, thank you. I love being in Gallier Hall, our former city hall. From before the civil war through reconstruction - through world wars, civil strife, epidemics and hurricanes - Gallier Hall accompanied the city's transformation into the 20th century. We chose this place because it was 40 years ago when the last budget for our city was proposed in this building, by Mayor Morrison in 1956. Of course, there have been many changes since then. We didn't have computers, or faxes, or cell phones, or even a bridge to the Westbank back then. We didn't have the Superdome, or convention center or the New Orleans Saints. City hall was here, the courts were in the French Quarter, the library was at Lee Circle and New Orleans East was not even a dream. There was no I-10 or I-610, and both Ponchartrain Beach and Lincoln Beach were going strong. The mayor and City Council of that day were all male and all white. Apart from those differences, much is still the same in New Orleans. In 1956 we ate red beans on Monday. The port was going strong. And the city was led by people who were focused on the future, as we are today. In 1956, the city operating budget was $26.1 million. Today in 1996, I am pleased to submit a $486 million operating budget, and a $190 million capital budget. Both are fully financed and in balance. In 1956, Mayor Morrison said, "The cold figures must be considered in terms of overall community needs, in terms of public policy and our responsibility to the people of our city." The same is true today. In both 1994 and 1995, we ran a slight surplus due to our collective hard work. I single out two people - Marlin Gusman, chief administrative officer and Jim Singleton, chairman of the City Council's budget committee. In 1995 and 1996, the groundwork was laid for what you will see in 1997. There will be more police officers on the street as a result of new hiring procedures. The New Orleans Recreation Department will continue the revitalization of its programs and infrastructure. Vacant lots will be cleaned up and property owners will be held accountable for maintenance and compliance of city codes. Street repairs will be on going in every neighborhood in New Orleans and trees will be planted along our city's boulevards and neutral grounds. These are the things you will see in 1997. It was a long road to get here. Since we took office in 1994, we have made tremendous strides. We have reformed the NOPD. We have closed two landfills with a third on the way and secured a solid waste site outside of New Orleans. We have passed the "Rebuild New Orleans Now!" capital improvements program. And we have revised the city charter for the first time since 1954. Since 1994, we have begun construction of phase III of the convention center, we have revitalized the New Orleans Recreation Department, we have instituted a city-wide recycling program, and we have purchased new equipment for the Park and Parkways Division. Our city departments will now be computer-linked with city hall. That means agencies will be better organized and will operate more efficiently - starting with the budget. We implemented a computerized financial management system. To overhaul our housing program, we initiated a computerized mobile enforcement system that will hold owners of vacant lots accountable for maintenance of their property and compliance of city codes. Your city government is now more focused and more effective. To make the most of our revenue sources we have gotten control over existing revenue through tough management practices and cut backs. We've collected taxes better, aggressively sought federal and state funding and begun to implement economic revenue forecasting with the city's first Revenue Estimating Conference. However, we continue to be too dependent on one-time revenues, and we are working to overcome that budget challenge. With the 1997 budget, we take another step towards the 21st century. I should mention some highlights in the new budget I think are crucial to maintaining the reforms we have been talking about. The most pressing issue is paying police officers more money and getting more officers on the street. We have secured federal grant money that will pay police more for overtime. We've budgeted $4.3 million for overtime, up from $3.2 million last year. We are also civilianizing our police force. That means putting civilians in desk jobs to free up officers for street duty. Last year, we added 56 administrative positions at NOPD. We plan to add another 34 civilians to the department. We have also planned complete performance audits of the NOPD and the criminal justice system. For city employees, we are going to make last summer's pay adjustment permanent and grant a 2.5 percent pay increase beginning July 1. Work crews will have a busy year in 1997. Last year, we completed 14 street and nine capital projects. This year, there are 11 street and 20 capital projects planned including work on Esplanade Avenue, Oak Street, Martin Luther King Boulevard and Morrison Road. Last year, we overlaid 20 miles of streets and repaired 25,000 potholes. This year we are planning thirty miles of overlay and repairs on another 25,000 potholes and signs along five miles of neighborhood streets. The Department of Public Works also impounded 11,000 junked or abandoned vehicles. The department's new complaint system has taken and referred over 4,000 citizen complaints. We will privatize grass cutting at NORD playgrounds during the summer and centralize maintenance and grass cutting around our public buildings in the Department of Property Management. This will free up resources so that park and parkways can focus on neutral grounds, private lots and the city. We propose giving the division $450,000 to fulfill this task. We will also spend $150,000 from the Plant a Tree Fund for new trees. To fund these proposals, we have to be aggressive about collecting back taxes and fees owed to the city. And we have to continue to be pro-active about revenue sources. Sales tax collections are up by 10 percent over the last two years. Federal and state grant money has increased by $17.4 million. And gaming revenue has brought in $27.5 million to the city which has been crucial for pay increases and other enhancements built into this budget. In our recent lease agreement with Harrah's, the city will be paid for use of its property. In the 1995 budget we set our priorities. In the 1996 budget we built and expanded on them . And in the 1997 budget we will continue refining city government operations and delivery of services to ensure that the priorities we set are fully realized. Now we have something concrete to discuss. If we must disagree, let us keep in mind our shared, common mission - the rebuilding of this great and unique American city. New Orleans deserves the very best thinking and effort we are capable of bringing to the table. Thank you very much |
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