Guest column: Patching the budget isn't enough. New Orleans needs real reform.

Guest Column: Patching the Budget Isn't Enough

Many residents of New Orleans are focused on the city’s immediate budget challenges, which is understandable. However, the city urgently needs comprehensive reform at both broad and detailed levels, argue guest columnists Pres Kabacoff and Assessor Errol Williams.

As the city transitions to a new administration, the financial situation is deteriorating. The budget deficit must be addressed quickly. Yet, while patching the budget hole, it is crucial not to overlook a more vital task: reforming how city government operates.

Structural Reform Over Temporary Fixes

Simply covering a budget gap is like applying a bandage. What New Orleans truly requires are well-planned structural and management reforms to make government effective, efficient, transparent, and accountable. These reforms will reduce costs, eliminate waste, and restore public trust.

These changes will save money, cut waste and rebuild trust.

Challenges to Reform Efforts

Historically, budget crises have undermined momentum for reform, often in subtle and unintentional ways. Well-developed reform plans cannot be left on hold while the city focuses on balancing the budget. Small, incremental fixes seldom solve deep-rooted issues.

For example, in 1987, Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer entered office with a broad reform agenda he called a "revolution." However, the state’s massive budget deficit immediately diverted attention, forcing Roemer to propose a diluted reform plan. The opportunity for true reform slipped away.

"He called it a ‘revolution.’ But the state faced a huge budget deficit by the time he took office, and that diverted everybody’s attention."

Conclusion

New Orleans must seize the moment to implement meaningful reforms rather than settling for budget patches that fail to address underlying problems.

Author’s summary: New Orleans faces worsening budget issues, but lasting change requires fundamental government reforms, not just short-term fixes.

NOLA.com — 2025-11-08