NEW ORLEANS — Two weeks after the death of her husband, Jason Cantrell, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell holds her first weekly press conference at City Hall on Perdido Street on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
'In the spirit of gratitude, on behalf of my family, thank you to the public for your support," the mayor began. "It helped me in ways I could not imagine."
The mayor then talked about violent crime being down year-on-year, and that the month of August had the fewer vehicle burglaries and auto thefts.
Secondly, the mayor talked about the record heat felt by the city, and her emergency declaration issued on Aug. 8.
And one day after the 18th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina – and second after Ida – Mayor Cantrell reinforced her stance against graffiti.
"We want to ensure this city is clean, and vibrant," she said. "And it is demonstrating that we are placed in a destination not only to visit, but want to live and to do business as it relates to economic growth of this city."
The mayor also discussed the latest updates on the status of Plaza Tower.
"We will not only hold ownership accountable, but work with ownership," she said. "If it was so easy to redevelop, we would not be sitting here...right now."
The city is asking Plaza Tower ownership to repay over $90,000 for the cost of barricades, as well as lost revenue.
On the topic of delinquent payment for summer employment, the mayor said, "We will continue to work with all parties to ensure our young people are paid. The good news is that the opportunity we were allowed to provide, and although the payment is slow, it will be 100 percent."
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