Overview
- The City Council pulled its Bond Commission request after state officials tied approval to allowing a fiscal administrator with open-ended control.
- Meetings in Baton Rouge on the loan and fiscal review were canceled, and an emergency session with state lawmakers is set for Nov. 5 to explore short‑term funding.
- Payroll for nearly 5,000 city employees is covered through Nov. 12, with the rainy‑day fund expected to extend coverage only through December if no loan is secured.
- The council asked the Legislative Auditor to review 2022–2025 finances, froze nonessential purchases, created an emergency payroll oversight fund, and advanced a charter change to limit unilateral budget shifts.
- Leaders said they are pursuing FEMA reimbursements and unspent American Rescue Plan dollars that could total roughly $70 million, while warning that overtime cuts and possible layoffs are on the table.