NEW ORLEANS — With a 4-2 vote on Thursday, the New Orleans City Council voted to remove free use of a unit at the historic Pontalba apartments by putting it up for lease.
Shortly after the vote, Mayor Cantrell's office said she will use her executive power to veto today's action by the City Council in regards to the Pontalba.
"Our office is not surprised that Mayor Cantrell has decided to veto our ordinance that would put a stop to her use of a Pontalba apartment as a personal residence," a spokesperson for Council President J.P. Morrell told WWL-TV's Alyssa Curtis in a statement following the veto. "The Mayor is welcome to exercise her right to veto, as the City Council will exercise their right to override her veto.
"Once we receive her official veto, we will schedule a special meeting at the appropriate time."
The Council needs five votes in favor to do so.
Recent video appeared to show Mayor LaToya Cantrell staying overnight at the luxury French Quarter apartment in Jackson Square, which is against city rules,
The council took steps to further tighten those restrictions.
There were arguments on both sides.
"My opposition is based on the fact that I don't believe that the allegations relative to the actions," said District D Councilman Eugene Green. "And also the reality of what I know that has transpired here in terms of politics should impact all future mayors in terms of them not having access to this particular resource."
Morrell disagrees.
"What we have before us today is a perk," he said. "That's what it is, a perk. When you talk about entertaining dignitaries, in my experience , both as a resident and as a legislator, we have a place to entertain dignitaries – it's called Gallier Hall."
The Mayor's Office admitted in September to Cantrell living in the city-owned apartment rent-free for months, despite there being a market rate at the time of $2,991 per month. A city spokesperson said Cantrell had every right to do so.
In April, the council prohibited overnight stays. Since then, Cantrell said the move felt personal and that she felt "worried that the council would move to take away authority of the mayor of the city of New Orleans that has been in existence for over 93 years.”
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