Gov. Jeff Landry’s non-stop assault on New Orleanians’ right to self-governance has been met with an equally disturbing non-response from Mayor LaToya Cantrell.
Other local officials have stepped up, thankfully. City Council President Helena Moreno and state Reps. Jason Hughes and Aimee Adatto Freeman have pushed for state funding to feed poor kids, while Rep. Mandie Landry and Sen. Royce Duplessis — all New Orleans Democrats — are fighting for homeowners amid Louisiana’s property insurance crisis.
But on these and other matters of grave importance to New Orleans, the mayor has been AWOL.
Bills targeting the rights of the LGBTQ community, and particularly trans people, are working their way through the Legislature with alarming ease. Notwithstanding New Orleans’ well-earned reputation as a welcoming, bright blue dot in a sea of angry red, Cantrell has not seen fit to take a stand in defense of some of her most vulnerable constituents, many of whom rightfully fear for their safety.
To be clear, while the fix may be in on rights rollbacks, transgender people, especially our youth, at a bare minimum deserve a mayor who stands and fights for them regardless the odds.
On another front, the consumable hemp product ban recently passed by the state Senate would harm many local businesses, from start-ups that make such products to convenience stores that sell them. Given the millions that have been invested by legitimate consumable hemp companies — and the significant sales tax the city stands to lose — one would think the mayor would have something to say. One would be wrong.
Even measures that would reduce the mayor’s legal authority or sideline her entirely have drawn no pushback from Cantrell.
One of Landry’s advisory committees has proposed sweeping changes to the makeup of the Sewerage & Water Board, some of which would significantly reduce local oversight of the troubled agency — and potentially reduce local board membership.
Senate Bill 462, by Denham Springs Republican Sen. Valarie Hodges, would allow Landry to appoint the chair and other officers of almost all state boards and commissions. Currently, a governor can appoint members to numerous boards and commissions, but in most cases those bodies elect their own chairs and other officers — albeit often with a governor’s tacit approval. Hodges’ bill would put virtually all boards and commissions under the governor’s thumb.
Her bill also could seriously hurt New Orleanians by allowing Landry and future governors to put cronies and ideologues in charge of more than a dozen boards and commissions that play a major role in shaping the city’s economy and quality of life. Examples include the S&WB, the Morial Convention Center board and many neighborhood security and economic development district boards.
In the face of all these threats, the mayor sadly remains silent.
All this is not to say she hasn’t been doing things. She’s addressed a handful of conventions in recent weeks, continued her internal public relations tour of various agencies — and left town April 24 for a junket in Atlanta.
In other words, she’s fiddling while New Orleans’ future goes up in flames.
Now more than ever it is clear that if New Orleans is to not only succeed but survive during the Landry Era, we need all of our leaders to not only be present, but actively engaged in the fight.
It’s time somebody said it out loud: If the mayor can’t or won't do her job and fight for New Orleans, she should consider doing citizens a favor and resign.
None of these bills will make Louisiana a better, safer place to live.
Getting answers to questions was always difficult and has become even more so of late.
