2027 - Proposed Budget Hearings (Day 1)

The New Orleans City Council’s Day 1 hearing on the proposed 2027 budget, held September 29, 2026, focused on the city’s projected budget gap, proposed service reductions, and whether to roll forward selected property-tax millages. The administration described roughly $77 million in proposed cuts, while a full millage roll-forward could generate about $42 million; no decision or vote on the millages was taken. Council members pressed for clearer public information and scenarios showing which cuts might be restored. Presenters also cited rising recurring costs, including nearly $30 million in health-care costs and $18 million in debt service, and discussed maintaining the city’s $138 million reserve. The hearing covered department budget plans and efficiencies, including reduced printing and contract-labor costs, centralized purchasing controls, and contract consolidation analysis; no new contract award was approved during the hearing.