We take a look at all the ummm, let’s start by calling them persons of interest.
Suspect #1
Former CAO Gilbert Montaño
Gilbert Montaño farted and left the room. That’s the story, and members of the City Council are sticking to it. So when you think of the budget, and this big ole stank of a deficit, think of Montano. It’s all his fault. He overestimated incoming revenue, left the city in a lurch, then bailed. Now he’s the Chief of Staff at the Audubon Institute. The poor animals. Just wait until they feel the effects of his mismanaged budget.
If Montaño tried to argue he played no role in the fiscal crisis, his own professional bio on Adubon’s website would contradict him. It credits him with directing the City’s financial strategy and ensuring fiscal responsibility.
You can’t claim the authority when it looks good and dodge responsibility when the results go bad.
Yes, they’re talking about the same man who declared that the city was headed for a fiscal cliff one month, then declared a $100 million surplus two month: s later. And yes he’s the same man who toned down Finance Director Romy Samuel’s warning about the impending budget deficit and the potential of the city not making payroll.
Apparently, his mixed messaging was delivered with so much eloquence it left the Council stunned, to the point they were unable to push back with anything beyond surface level questions. And that leads to…
Related: Montano Left a Hot Mess at City Hall
Suspect #2
The City Council, specifically those on the Budget Committee
The City Council (certain members) is full of hot air. They’re using Montaño as a convenient scapegoat; that way their lack of oversight goes unnoticed. In philosophical terms, that is a red herring.
A few interrogating questions: How did the Council not catch that no overtime for NOPD was included in the 2025 budget? You would think that would’ve been a priority after 2024’s overtime numbers shocked them. Why didn’t the members of the Budget Committee demand Montaño hand over the monthly budget reports that he was not providing? If they did, maybe they could’ve caught Montaño’s misrepresentation of the incoming revenues sooner.
There’s also someone else who should’ve caught all this. And that leads to…
Suspect #3
Mayor Cantrell
The buck stops with Teedy. She’s the mayor. And the budget bears her name. That leaves questions: Was she not aware that her Financial Director and CAO had differing forecasts for the 2025 budget? If so, why did she side with Montaño? Was she also not aware that the monthly budget reports weren’t being sent to the Council? Did she defer to Montaño so much that he felt comfortable agreeing to an extra $10 million strain on the budget in a settlement with the Orleans Parish School Board without consulting her? It all points to a mayor not doing a hands on job in the face of a crisis.
So who’s guilty? The short answer is all of them. And who’s left to pay for this (literally)? For the answer to that question all you have to do is look in the mirror.