Budget hearings are underway

Pull up a chair and pass the BeefyMac.

Here's a preview from The Lens:

The $494 million budget proposed by Landrieu last week cuts spending in nearly all departments, with only a few agencies related to public safety and recreation seeing increases. Though the police department will see some new hires in 2012, the increases for the NOPD and fire departments will largely go to pay for costs related to pensions. The departments that took the biggest hits this year are the New Orleans Public Library, which is funded primarily through a millage but has in previous years also gotten support from the general fund. This year, it will receive none, compared with $180,000 last year, if the mayor gets his wish. Other departments taking big hits are: City Planning, the Vieux Carre Commission and the Registrar of Voters.

In order to fund even this austere budget the Mayor is going to have to ask the City Council for a millage roll forward which should make for some interesting snark from councilmembers or at least one fond reminiscence from Jackie Clarkson about the time her family paid their property tax bill in ration coupons.

It looks like The Lens sent Jessica Williams to tweet this morning's hearing. You can scroll through that here or just wait until the video is available.