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NEW ORLEANS, LA — During its meeting on Thursday, January 22, 2026, the New Orleans City Council’s Budget, Audit, and Board of Review Committee heard personnel introductions and a fiscal overview from Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Joseph Giarrusso and Director of Finance Alyssa Rambeau. The Committee also reviewed Civil Service Pay Plan and Rule Amendments that were approved by the Civil Service Commission.
CAO Presentation
CAO Giarrusso began his presentation by providing an overview of his team and their roles. Director Rambeau spoke about her background in government and stated that it was her calling to serve the City of New Orleans and assist the CAO with budget issues and process improvements.
CAO Giarrusso continued his presentation by expressing the complexity of navigating the current budget. He reassured the committee that the administration is taking the matter seriously and that the budget challenges will be handled with rigor, relentless work, and discipline. Measures mentioned by the CAO to reduce costs to the City of New Orleans include reducing the number of take-home vehicles and fleet reductions where appropriate. Furloughs, an extension of the spending and hiring freeze, and travel bans have also been implemented. However he noted that there are departmental exemptions to the spending and hiring freeze, such as public safety agencies. Additionally, all change orders or purchases exceeding $60,000 must be approved by the CAO and Law Department.
You can read the full presentation here.
Civil Service Pay Plan and Rule Amendments Discussed
Lastly, the Committee reviewed Pay Plan and Rule Amendments approved by the Civil Service Commission. Some items deferred to a future Committee meeting, while the following motions were reviewed because the funding does not come from the General Fund:
Following an explanation from the Civil Service Commission, the Committee recommended approval of the motions to the full Council.
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