Mayor Helena Moreno is pressing pause on efforts to increase the monthly fee that households pay for once-a-week garbage and recycling pick-up to give auditors time to review the accuracy of city data on service locations.
Moreno at a press conference last week urged the City Council to raise the $24-per-month fee to cover the full cost of sanitation services. It only generates a fraction of the revenues needed, requiring City Hall to spend $24 million from its general fund to fill the gap.
But Moreno backed off on that request on Tuesday to give Louisiana Legislative Auditor Mike Waguespack time to verify the number of households served. Waguespack is working to right the city’s finances…