2027 Proposed Budget Hearings (Day 10)

The New Orleans City Council’s Day 10 hearings on the proposed 2027 budget were held October 30, 2026. The City Planning Commission (CPC) proposed $500,000 for the first year of a three-year citywide master plan effort, to be used for professional services procured through an RFP, particularly to supplement community engagement, organization, and visioning. CPC said its overall day-to-day operating budget would fall by about 50%, from $177,000 to $85,000, and described grant-supported brownfields and urban agriculture work. The Historic District Landmarks Commission’s proposed budget eliminates a roughly $53,000 inspector position; council members requested an analysis comparing the position’s cost with potential fine and fee revenue, as well as historical assessed-versus-collected fine data. No budget or contract awards were approved during the hearing.

Parks and Parkways discussed a proposed grass-cutting contractor scope of about 4,578 acres in one area and 455 acres in another, at a stated total cost of approximately $1.36 million, and said it was exploring a consolidated contract for potential savings. Council members also asked when NORD’s maintenance contracts for services such as HVAC, electrical, and plumbing were last competitively bid and whether they would be rebid; no decision was made. NORD presented a proposed general fund budget of just over $19.3 million, discussed updating facility rental fees and implementing online registration and payment, and received requests for detail on several budget line items. Presenters from NORD, Parks and Parkways, Audubon, and City Park also discussed facility maintenance and millage-supported operations, capital work, and debt service. These were budget-hearing discussions and requests for follow-up, not procurement approvals.