My Policies
New Orleans is at a critical time in the city's history. Rising crises challenge the city's existence into the new century. We need innovative policies to ensure working class people have the tools they need to flourish.
My Top Five Priorities
These priorities will make our neighbors' lives more stable and enable them to thrive. They address the chronic need for affordable housing, rising insurance rates, underfunded public transit, expensive childcare, and rising utility bills.
Build Affordable Fortified Housing
According to a 2021 study, New Orleans needs 48,000 affordable housing units. The recent city charter amendment only allocates 2% of the city budget for more construction. There are several city or state owned properties where units can be built (Federal City). Units must be built to Fortified Gold standards to ensure they withstand the effects of hurricanes.
Expand Fortified Roof Program
Homeowners are struggling under the weight of rising insurance premiums. The city must match recent federal funding for Fortified roofs. The state program is inadequate for the state, let alone New Orleans. I just 2024, 11,000 applicants applied to the state program with only 3,000 available grants. Also, the state must pass a mandatory reduction for installing these stronger roofs.
Expand Public Transit
20% of our neighbors are without a car throughout the city. The multitude of tourists also use public transit when visiting. Reliable, renewable powered, and rapid transit is a priority to keep our city running. Currently, transit is only funded by sales taxes. General funds must be used to grow transit for a more reliable and robust transit system. Microtransit and cycling must be included for greater transit mode opportunities.
Universal Pre-K
As a parent of two young boys, there is no better feeling than knowing they go to a quality daycare and pre-k. Numerous studies show that pre-k helps children succeed in the most critical early learning grades. The city must expand vouchers for children to reach their potential. Also, the cost of daycare and pre-k is unbearable for working class New Orleanians. Easing the strain on parents is a worthy goal that I will fight to achieve.
Reform Entergy New Orleans
New Orleans used to have a public power company before it was bought by Entergy in 1986. Since then, Entergy has saddled rate payers with costly infrastructure and disaster hardening expenses. Instead of investing in its grid, Entergy gave $1.3 billion back to shareholders since 2020. The city needs reliable and environmentally friendly power. Entergy continues to invest in polluting power plants and weak power distribution systems. We need a real public power company again, not one making profits for Wall Street.