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Let’s Save NOLA

Over the past four years, Mayor LaToya Cantrell has consistently failed the people of New Orleans. Promises and commitments she made in 2017 have gone unfulfilled, and as a result, our communities have suffered. If our city remains under her leadership, it will continue to decline. It’s time to save New Orleans.

Violent Crime

Violent Crime on The Rise in New Orleans

“New Orleans was the 4th-Deadliest U.S. City in 2019” – According to statistics, New Orleans “Already experienced at least 137 murders — 56% more than the number reported by this date last year.”

Homicides Spike 70% Carjackings Rise 153%

WWL-TV News reported that New Orleans was experiencing a spike in crime as homicides increased 70% and carjackings were up 153% – according to the article, “New Orleans is now on pace to exceed 200 murders for the year for the first time since 2011.”

Shootings, Carjackings the Worst Some Have Ever Seen in New Orleans

According to the New Orleans City Council Crime Dashboard, crime has drastically increased in key areas. Murder reports are up 25%. Non-fatal shooting calls for service are up 81%. Auto crimes are also rising with reported carjackings up 113%.

Incompetent Leader

NOLA—$170 Million in the Red

Mayor Cantrell’s decision to treat businesses harshly during the pandemic destroyed not only our economy, but also our municipal budget. Thanks to Mayor Cantrell, New Orleans now faces a $170 million budget shortfall.

Cuts to City Services

In a year when many have struggled to make ends meet, Mayor Cantrell put 4,000 city employees on furlough—cutting their pay by 10%. These cuts threaten programs and services that many of our most vulnerable citizens depend on. If our city cannot take care of them, then it has failed all of us.

Police and Fire Budgets Slashed

Under Mayor Cantrell the 2021 budget gutted our police and fire departments at a time when we need to be reinventing public safety in our city. Now, everything from police to social services are suffering deep funding cuts and staffing crises.

Hard Rock Hardship

Hard Rock and Campaign Contributions

The Hard Rock Hotel collapsed while under construction, killing three, wounding 30 and causing hundreds to evacuate. For months, Mayor Cantrell resisted a public hearing on the collapse. Shortly after the disaster, businesses tied to the hotel developers made substantial campaign contributions to Cantrell’s political action committee.

Bodies Remain, 10 Months Later

Nearly a year after the collapse, the bodies of two workers still had not been retrieved from the wreckage. Although Mayor Cantrell claimed returning the bodies to their loved ones was a “top priority,” at one point during the 10 month ordeal, the remains of one worker were clearly visible from nearby buildings.

City Negligence

Investigations found improper structural work, negligent city inspectors and other factors that could have led to the collapse. City records showed inspection discrepancies months before the collapse. Despite the mounting evidence, Mayor Cantrell waited a year to investigate and then cut the audit short.

Cantrell Delayed Demolition

For 18 months one of New Orleans busiest streets was obstructed and businesses were shuttered by the collapsed hotel. Mayor Cantrell held up demolition by clashing with hotel developers over removal methods and demanded the building be taken down piece-by-piece.

Failed Leadership

Cantrell > Science

Our city needed a leader who could follow the science, protect frontline workers, and save lives. Instead Mayor Cantrell rejected Governor Edwards and the CDC’s guidelines to reopen New Orleans’ economy. As a result , tourists fled, people were left jobless, homeless and our economy is devastated.

We Got Better; LaToya Got Worse

Statewide, Orleans Parish had the lowest test positivity at 2%. Instead of offering support, Mayor Cantrell acted with hostility and incompetence, directly harming the city of New Orleans. She continued to shut down businesses leaving the people who depended on them high and dry.

Mardi Gras No-Go

Even as President Biden rolled out the most successful vaccination program in American history, Mayor Cantrell announced Mardi Gras was cancelled—shutting down all bars and restaurants, even barring takeout. An unprecedented step that devastated businesses during their busiest time of the year.

A Forgotten City

Mayor Cantrell’s cancellation harmed hundreds of businesses and eroded our city’s confidence. Even in New Orleans’ toughest times, we have come together during Mardi Gras. After a year of separation, trauma and pain, our city deserved a moment of unity and pride—Mayor Cantrell denied us that opportunity.

My Way or the Highway

Mayor Cantrell threatened to layoff city workers if voters did not approve her pet ballot initiatives, including an extension of property taxes. Her bullying tactics didn’t work.

Defunding Public Library

Cantrell Defends Mayfield Library Looting

Musician Irvin Mayfield plead guilty to funneling $1.3 million from the New Orleans Public Library Foundation into his own pocket. Prior to his sentencing, Mayor Cantrell spoke at a Mayfield performance, telling the crowd, “Let’s continue to support a true son of the City of New Orleans.”

Cantrell Doubles Down on Mayfield Support

A Cantrell spokesperson said of $1.3 million library looter Irvin Mayfield, “the Mayor believes in second chances,” prompting New Orleans Times-Picayune columnist James Gill to say, “Irvin Mayfield stole $1 million from libraries. Why is LaToya Cantrell backing him?”

Cantrell Targeted Libraries For Cuts

Mayor Cantrell tried to cut library budgets by 50% and then defended the person who illegally pocketed $1.3 million from the library foundation. New Orleans Times-Picayune columnist Stephanie Grace said, “LaToya Cantrell should know better than to mess with libraries—or to support someone who stole from them.”

City Hall Move

Culture-Blind Push to Destroy Armstrong Park

In a display of historical ignorance only capable by a NOLA-outsider, Mayor Cantrell continues to push her heartless plan to move City Hall to the Municipal Auditorium and build a parking garage by Armstrong Park over the objections of concerned New Orleanians.

Mayor’s Plan a Death Sentence for Treme

“If you come through Armstrong Park with those massive garages, you are going to kill the entire area and Treme will be a myth,” explained Ausettua AmorAmenkum with New Orleans Culture Preservation Committee.

City Council Takes Bold Action to Stop Mayor’s Scheme

The New Orleans City Council voted unanimously to block the Mayor’s plan to develop government offices in Armstrong Park for at least a year. They also made clear they aim to permanently block the controversial plan to protect our city’s culture and history.

Lack of Transparency

New Orleanians Shut Out of Police Chief Search

Local Editorial Board complained of the “Troubling Lack of Transparency” from Cantrell in selecting a new police chief writing, “there has been no transparency about this decision” and “this is not the way to handle such an important decision.”

“The Lack of Transparency of this Administration is Astounding”

Mayor Cantrell didn’t even try to explain why she’s in Cuba this week. She didn’t announce the trip at all. And when a reporter found out about it, city officials didn’t provide an itinerary or the cost of the trip.

Mayor “Doesn’t Know What Transparency Is”

In an interview, Mayor Cantrell bragged about her administration being “transparent”. In response, columnist Jarvis DeBerry wrote “the Mayor’s memory must be failing her. Or she doesn’t know what transparency is.”

Mayor’s Transparency “Smacks of bad faith”

Columnist Clancy DuBos described Cantrell’s “Blatant Lack of Transparency” as her “Achilles Heel.” DuBos added, “for an Administration that promised transparency, accountability and ‘intentionality’” Cantrell’s lack of transparency “Smacks of bad faith”.

Decline of New Orleans

Highest Unemployment

New Orleans has weathered tough times before, but we always found a way to rebuild. Mayor Cantrell has kept us from rebuilding. She promised quality jobs, but her record on job creation is abysmal. Even pre-pandemic, out of 51 major metropolitan areas of 1 million or more, New Orleans had the highest unemployment rate.

Bad…and Getting Worse

The pandemic has compounded the employment crisis. In May of 2020, the Times-Picayune reported that the city’s unemployment rate had hit 18.8%. Since then, it has settled around 11.1%, significantly higher than the statewide unemployment rate and that of East Baton Rouge Parish.

Ain’t Here No More

Rather than lifting up our city, Mayor Cantrell has kept us from reaching our full potential. Many neighbors and friends have decided to leave New Orleans. Since she took office in 2018, the population has sharply declined, ending the post-Katrina Renaissance. Some cities grew during the pandemic —New Orleans has declined.

Failure to Pay Taxes

Locals Offended by Mayor’s Failure to Pay Taxes

Columnist Stephanie Grace wrote, “So news that she and her husband have years of liens on their home, reflecting unpaid federal taxes totaling more than $95,000, is more than ironic. It’s kind of offensive.”

Mayor Cantrell Evades Questioning on Tax Debt

“Faced with almost $100,000 in federal tax liens, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell blamed most of the debt on penalties and interest but declined to provide a further explanation of her financial troubles to the public, saying the issue is too complicated.”

Local Reporter Questions Mayor’s Ability to Handle City Finances

“Ms. Mayor, if you cannot handle your personal finances where you owe money, how can citizens trust you to handle the budget of this city and the finances of this city?” WVUE TV Reporter Lee Zurik asked Cantrell during a news conference.

Credit Card Misuse

Criminal Complaint Details Improper Charges

The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported that a “criminal complaint accusing mayoral candidate LaToya Cantrell of inappropriately using her city credit card to spend taxpayer dollars on personal and campaign expenses” was sent to the State Attorney General’s Office.

Mayor Forced to Reimburse City for Improper Charges

Cantrell “Later reimbursed the city in several lump payments, including one large payment submitted days after she qualified for Mayor.”

Mayor and Staff Spent Over $100k on City Credit Cards

Mayor Cantrell personally charged $46,927 to her city credit card since 2013. Her staff charged an additional $59,841 in the same period. Cantrell and her staff used her office’s credit card to charge almost $4,350 in purchases she repaid from her campaign funds — sometimes YEARS later.

Powered By Entergy

LaToya’s Team—Powered by Entergy

Two top officials in Mayor Cantrell’s political campaign were paid nearly a million dollars by Entergy. Meanwhile, the Mayor championed Entergy’s request to earn higher profits. Not surprisingly Entergy was quoted as saying, “We’re quite pleased with her decision.”

City-Sanctioned Monopoly Lets Customers Freeze

Due to a supposed “computer glitch,” Entergy cut power to the New Orleans Sewage and Water Board and to 20,000 customers, many in predominantly black neighborhoods on a freezing Mardi Gras night.