NOLA residents unhappy with Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s efforts

A recent survey conducted for the New Orleans Crime Coalition shows continued public dissatisfaction with Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s leadership.

For the second 12 months in a row, a majority of city residents expressed their disapproval of the mayor’s actions: only 31% expressed their support. According to the study, last 12 months only 30 percent approved her administrationwhile a staggering 60% were opposed.

Cantrell’s current disapproval rating of 59% comes as she has been embroiled in quite a few controversies, including her personal use of a city-owned apartment in Upper Pontalba and frequent taxpayer-funded out-of-town travel.

The New Orleans City Council voted to remove Cantrell this 12 months if she didn’t vacate the Upper Pontalba premises and take away her personal belongings by a certain date. Council Vice President JP Morrell, who sponsored the eviction petition, accused the mayor of “circumventing the law.”

Cantrell was also accused of upgrading her airline tickets to first-class using taxpayer funds. The Louisiana Ethics Commission found that 13 domestic and two international flights underwent upgrades at a price of nearly $30,000 over a two-year period.

Fox 8 also noted the federal investigation into Mayor Cantrell’s relationship with former security officer Jeffrey Vappie. As Dr. Robert Collins, a policy analyst at Dillard University, stated: “Society takes all these issues into account… In addition, they are dissatisfied with the fact that their city services are not provided effectively.”

While a brand new 2024 survey shows Cantrell’s approval rating for dealing with crime increasing from 24% to 29%, her disapproval rating is 62%. Additionally, its approval rating for solving infrastructure problems is just 24%, down one percentage point from the previous 12 months.

The annual survey, conducted May 29-June 4, 2024, is predicated on a representative sample of 800 accomplished interviews with adults (18 years and older) living in New Orleans. The racial composition of the sample is 58% African American, 35% Caucasian, and seven% other.