The New Orleans City Council has directed Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s administration to review city-funded travel and possibly suggest ways to reduce it.
The council unanimously passed an ordinance introduced by Council President JP Morrell, which also includes new documentation rules for travel. This comes as a ban on non-essential, city-funded travel remains under a preliminary injunction.
The ordinance requires Chief Administrative Officer Gilbert Montaño, working with other city leaders, to report back to the council by December 31, 2025, on the costs and benefits of city-funded travel. The report must include a breakdown of travel expenses over the past three years, with specific details on employee-related costs. Morrell explained that his office currently faces challenges in tracking these expenses, saying, “There needs to be a clear mechanism for tracking how much money is spent on travel, so we can evaluate what we gained from it.”
