As you know, my 2010-2011 proposed budget did not include a recommendation for a general increase for LCG employees. During budget hearings (and in my budget message), I suggested that any increase be deferred until we had an opportunity to see actual sales tax collections and other financial information.
Chief Financial Officer Becky Lalumia has updated the proforma and, as we all had hoped, actual revenues exceeded our conservative budget for last fiscal year. For the first month of the current fiscal year, we have also seen a modest increase in sales tax collections over what was projected.
As a result, I ask that you call a special meeting of the council to consider the implementation of a 2% general increase for LCG employees. This decision comes after much deliberation at a time when other communities have had to furlough or lay off employees. We have been most fortunate during tough economic times and know that our employees realize this. We thank them for their understanding during this process and for their hard work over the past year.
According to a Dec. 6 memo from Lalumia to Durel, the 2 percent across-the-board pay raise will cost LCG $2 million. Half that cost will be drawn from the City General Fund; the remainder will come from the Parish General Fund ($100,000), utility funds ($600,000) and an assortment of other, smaller funds that are either grant-funded or self-supporting ($300,000).
Further, Lalumia indicates that LCG ended fiscal year 2009-2010 with a roughly 1 percent growth over the prior year, and the final seven months of FY 09/10 showed 5 percent growth over the same period the year before. Lalumia opines that these revenue increases will allow LCG to estimate 3 percent growth for its budget projection, and that LCG’s year-end balances will be higher than projected by about $3.6 million. Lalumia stresses that her projections are “very preliminary,” and if the projections don’t pan out LCG may be forced to consider “in lieu of tax” increases — a hike in fees that LUS, a city-owned enterprise, pays to LCG because it’s not subject to a sales tax — and/or departmental cuts.
If approved Tuesday by the council, the ordinance will go up for final adoption on Dec. 21.
Click here to read the ordinance and supporting documentation.
JUNE 17 If anyone ever wonders why Saints fans hate Atlanta with a capital H, here's a good indication. Radio "professionals" at an Atlanta station created an entire segment around making fun of former Saints player Steve Gleason, who is now paralyzed by ALS. Listen, nobody's ever accused DJs of being rocket scientists. But how could someone think it is amusing to pretend to ask a man with a degenerative, fatal disease if he will be alive next week? The DJs have been fired, and are now whining about how gutless their former bosses are. Wow.
JUNE 18 Here's the latest from the Advocate on the fatal hit-and-run accident allegedly involving the president of the Livingston Parish School Board. He's accused by police of hitting a 21-year-old man on a highway early Sunday and driving away. The man died at a hospital later. On Monday, police seized the president's truck and towed it away. But he's available for board meetings: apparently a $500 bond is sufficient for this type of thing over in St. Helena Parish.
JUNE 18 Former broadcast journalist Griffin Scott has posted this plea on his blog for financial assistance from his readers. Scott, who says he was fired after he wrote something fairly innocuous (for Facebook) on his wall, is suing a media giant for his job back. He's framed himself as David going after a bloated media giant, and he's probably not far off.
JUNE 18 Here's a fairly absurd column posted on DIG Magazine about the completely absurd practice of naming killer storms. Tornadoes don't have names. Blizzards don't have names. But hurricanes do, and there's a big process to bestow them, Jacques Cormery writes. He's right about the crazy assemblage of names -- this year, there's everything from Tanya to Humberto -- and his idea that we don't waste good names on killer storms is a good one.
JUNE 17 Political columnist John Maginnis has some advice for Louisiana Republicans: grow up. After the schism that occurred in this past session - fiscal hawks teaming up with Democrats to spank the Republican "majority" and hand Gov. Jindal his, er, aspirations for continued solon control -- they need to figure out how to get along with each other, Maginnis writes.
JUNE 17 Here's the Picayune's obit story for Dorothy 'Miss Dot' Domilise, the lady who made poboys at the uptown restaurant that bears her name. Miss Dot moved to New Orleans during World War II, where she met and married her husband Sam. When she passed away Friday she was 90, and had spent more than 60 of those years working at the restaurant on Annunciation Street.
JUNE 17 This editorial in the Advocate speaks in favor of the consent decrees that have federal judges overseeing police operations and the sheriff's parish prison in New Orleans. Mayor Landrieu and Sheriff Gusman can't get along, so outside forces, like the Inspector General and the judges, are needed to make sure things run right, the editorial opines.
JUNE 18 Here's a post from Manny Schewitz on Forward Progressives that is good for a chuckle. Manny had an epiphany back in November, and is sharing it with us today: he believes that Fox "News" is killing the GOP by pandering to right wing nuts. Now, don't get it twisted: Manny's not broke up about it. He says he enjoys watching the downward spiral with a shot of whiskey and "a schadenfreude chaser."
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