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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 8, 2026
Council Vice President Matthew Willard and Councilmember Aimee McCarron Issue Statement in Defense of New Orleans Voters, Court System
NEW ORLEANS, LA — Council Vice President Matthew Willard and District A Councilmember Aimee McCarron issued a formal statement today opposing a set of bills advancing through the Louisiana Legislature, including SB256, SB217, SB197 and HB911. These bills would consolidate – and thereby eliminate – several elected positions in the Orleans Parish court system, including elected judges and clerks of court.
As a former state legislator and chair of the House Democratic Caucus, Councilmember Willard stands with the voters of the city and the elected judges and clerks administering its legal system. “As an elected leader serving the people of Orleans Parish, I must express my strong opposition to any legislation aimed at unilaterally restructuring our court system,” said Council Vice President Willard. “The elimination of these elected positions would not streamline government, it would strain it. I support the New Orleans Delegation in their efforts to defend New Orleans against this targeted attack on our judiciary and criminal district clerk of court.”
“The people of New Orleans went to the polls and elected judges and a criminal clerk of court that these bills are set to remove,” said Councilmember McCarron. “If enacted, these bills would render those votes meaningless. Stripping Orleans Parish of its duly elected officials does not make our justice system more efficient or our streets safer; it makes our constituents less represented. Significant changes to our justice system should be thoughtful, transparent, collaborative, and rooted in the will of the Orleans Parish voters.”
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Contact:
Courtney Fleming
Chief of Staff
Council Vice President Matthew Willard
Courtney.Fleming@nola.gov
504.658.1060
 New Orleans City Council
The New Orleans City Council is the legislative branch of the New Orleans city government. The Council considers and enacts all local laws that govern the City of New Orleans. The Council also approves the operating and capital budgets for the City, as recommended by the mayor, and continually monitors revenues and expenditures for local government operations. The City Council is also the regulatory body for public utilities. It also reviews and has the final say on many land use and zoning matters, as well as considers major economic development projects for the City. As a Board of Review for Orleans Parish, the Council examines appeals of property tax assessments for real estate taxes and certifies tax rolls to the Louisiana Tax Commission. Other responsibilities of the Council include overseeing the operation of the public access television in Orleans Parish. Streaming video and video archives of the City Council's Regular and Committee meetings can be found on the City Council website.
The City Council is comprised of five districts and Councilmembers-at-large: Council President and Councilmember-at-Large JP Morrell; Council Vice President and Councilmember-At-Large Matthew Willard; District "A" Councilmember Aimee McCarron; District "B" Councilmember Lesli D. Harris; District "C" Councilmember Freddie King III; District "D" Councilmember Eugene J. Green, Jr.; and District "E" Councilmember Jason Hughes.
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