Despite city council bylaws, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell says she does not intend to reimburse the city for first-class travel upgrades on international flights. According to the rules, all city employees who travel must seek the lowest available airfare or refund the city for superior lodgings.
According to the Chief Administrative Officer, the law department is still determining whether the mayor must refund roughly $30,000 in taxpayer funds. Mayor Cantrell stated at a press conference on Thursday (Sept. 8) that the visits and expenses were made to better New Orleans.
“All expenses incurred doing business on behalf of the city of New Orleans will not be reimbursed,” Mayor Cantrell announced outside the Nix Library. “One thing is certain: I do my job, and I will continue to do it with distinction and honesty at all times.”
According to Robert Collins, a public policy professor at Dillard University, the mayor appears to be rebellious. The mayor‘s office says it is investigating whether the regulation applies to the mayor because she is an elected leader rather than a hired city employee.
“I believe it is still under consideration with the law identifying the variations between the CAO policy, the elected official policy, and the other variations,” CAO Gilbert Montano stated. “At this time, there is no ultimate conclusion. Right now, it’s in the law, and we’re studying it; I believe a decision will be made sooner rather than later.”
The city spent roughly $30,000 on the mayor’s first-class tickets to France and Switzerland. Cantrell previously stated that her travel enhancements were not for the sake of luxury, but for her own protection. “Anyone who questions how I protect myself just does not comprehend the world in which Black women live,” Mayor Cantrell stated in a statement.
Collins, on the other hand, claims that because the mayor receives a salary and benefits from the city of New Orleans, she should be considered an employee. “It’s like arguing the President of the United States isn’t a federal government employee.” “Of course, he gets paid,” Collins explained.
“It’s like claiming the governor of Louisiana isn’t a state employee.” He is, of course. He is the state government’s CEO. So I believe it’s troublesome to pretend there’s a legal distinction between an elected official who receives a salary from a government agency and an employee of that government agency.”
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