NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans voters dealt a major blow to the power of the Mayor’s office last night.
Starting next year, City Council will get the final say on the mayor’s appointments to several key positions.
Voters approved the charter amendment with a 60% vote on Tuesday, finally getting their say in a controversy that started back in the Spring.
City Council Vice President JP Morrell put the amendment forward at a time when City Council and the mayor’s office were at odds over several issues, including an investigation into the “Smart Cities” program.
“I think there’s been a lack of accountability for generations in regards to how department heads work and how they oversee parts of the budget,” Morrell said.
Despite the timing, Morrell maintains that the charter amendment was not targeted at the Cantrell Administration, but was a change that’s been a long time coming for the City of New Orleans.
“I really wanted to create a scenario in which we fundamentally change the way government operates,” he said. “So that it’s not just fixed for this mayor, it’s fixed for every mayor.”
According to the bureau of governmental research, most cities already use a similar system. In a poll of 25 cities similar to New Orleans, they found that 80% of them require the City Council to approve the mayor’s appointments.
Mayor Cantrell vetoed the charter amendment the first time City Council approved it, calling it a power grab.
But the council would over ride her veto on a 5-2 vote.
Eugene Green was one of the councilmember who supported the mayor’s veto.
He says he still has reservations about the amendment, but will respect the people’s vote.
“The decision has been made by voters and it’s my job to incorporate my research into the process to make sure the directors are appointed according to the processes,” Green said.
The new rule goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2023, and could be put to the test soon after.
Former juvenile jail director Kyshun Webster stepped down after a WWL-TV investigation revealed questionable spending and frequent absences from work.
His position is still open and if it’s not filled by the end of the year, then it will be the City Council who gets final say on who runs the juvenile jail.
Mayor Cantrell’s office released a statement Wednesday evening in response to the charter amendment’s approval, saying:
“In January, our Home Rule Charter will change. This change will require the New Orleans City Council to approve the appointment of 14 department directors going forward. In my role as Mayor, I will continue to put forth highly qualified candidates for these positions in order to best serve our residents and I look forward to engagement between my administration and the City Council through the appointment process.”
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