Second, Cantrell seems to have difficulty responding effectively when things go awry.There are also questions regarding the new CFO and several other items announced this week that could have gone more smoothly, perhaps, had the process been more open.
Two cases in point: her association with disgraced former state Sen. Derrick Shepherd, who went to federal prison on money laundering charges; and her apparent interest in bringing back controversial former New Orleans Police Department Chief Warren Riley as a police commissioner of sorts. In both cases, Cantrell was either unwilling or unable to distance herself from people who plainly would not reflect well on her and her administration. In the case of Shepherd, she took days to address very real concerns expressed by his former legislative colleagues, who still consider him a pariah.
The transition team report released today dropped a lot of stuff on the public at once. This sure would have been a nice document to look through like a month or so ago. There are some good ideas in the report, even if they are no more actionable under this mayor than they have been under her predecessors. The city needs a bigger share of the hotel/motel tax or maybe a way to tax some non-profits. Okay. We know. There are also some real doozies in there. They seem to like the police/surveillance apparatus a lot. Their housing proposals are wishy washy dreck. It looks like STRs aren't going away any time soon. Even the traffic cameras Cantrell campaigned against look like they are going to stick around.
On the other hand, maybe the entire agenda will flip on its head according to whatever bits of it spark a sudden, "uptick in the community." That's already happened a few times, Riley being the most obvious example. And, hey, we're all for responsiveness over here. But with a little more openness at the outset of the process, you might avoid so much chaotic upheaval at the end.
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