“The voters of District A deserve a councilmember who has an in-depth knowledge of the City’s budget on Day One. We can’t afford to have someone who is not ready to go,” said Aimee McCarron, a candidate for New Orleans City Council District A. Until announcing her candidacy, McCarron – a self-professed budget geek – served as Policy and Budget Director to retiring District A Councilmember Joe Giarrusso.
McCarron brings a diverse background to the race. A native of New Orleans and proud graduate of Ursuline Academy, McCarron attended UNO’s hotel, restaurant and tourism management school. She served as a line cook and catering sales manager for the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group before becoming a financial advisor with Prudential. McCarron built important relationships in the business community and honed her public speaking skills during her time with the Young Leadership Council where she served as President.
Three years ago, Giarrusso created a new position for McCarron because of her financial expertise. ‘No other candidate knows the city’s budget as much as I do. I won’t have to rely on the next administration to explain the numbers. I’ll be able to help guide the City Council through the budget cuts that may be necessary during the coming year,” McCarron explained.
McCarron claims that the current administration has not done a good job of collecting revenue and has been too dependent on one-time federal dollars. “New Orleans needs a new revenue collection system. The one we have is not working correctly. We are not capturing all the revenue that is due,” said McCarron.
One of the city’s outstanding receivables is from Uber Technologies, which owes the city up to $35 million in uncollected fines. “Oh yes, we have to get that money from Uber. The city cannot live paycheck to paycheck, so to speak,” she said. McCarron also believes the One Stop is not processing permits quickly enough and that the Orleans Parish School Board should receive their share of tax dollars owed.
McCarron understands the importance of creating more economic development opportunities in New Orleans to help the economy grow. “I want to see new jobs and more economic activity for all our citizens. But before we can invest in economic development, we need to get our basic city services right. That includes streets, drainage and making permitting easier and faster. In order for individuals and businesses to thrive, it should not take 6, 7,8, 9, or 10 months to get a permit, McCarron continued.
McCarron would also like to eliminate many of the outside contracts the city currently funds. “We must invest in workforce development and not be so reliant on outside consultants.”
McCarron has pledged to work with residents in the West End Lake Shore Park Civic Association to determine the optimal uses for the site adjacent to the former historic restaurants Fitzgeralds and Brunings which were damaged beyond repair during Hurricane Georges in 1998. Many nearby residents support the creation of an Avery Island type experience where the area’s wildlife can flourish with minimal intrusion from food and beverage outlets. Councilmember Giarrusso has recommended that the land be converted to an Entertainment District with bars, restaurants, parking and commercial retail space.
After meeting with residents and solo visits to the park, McCarron says she is open to the idea of limited development in the West End area with a majority focus on preservation. “I would still love to see some development such as recreation options and maybe a small snack house or something with limited hours, where people could grab a quick bite while enjoying the park. I do think there is opportunity here to make this a wonderful usable space for the residents of West End and the West Lakeview area and the city needs to make some investments here and work with neighbors,” McCarron said in an email to residents.
McCarron has been endorsed by former Councilmember Susan Guidry, State Rep. Mandie Landry, School Board Vice president Carlos Zervigon and State Senate President Cameron Henry. She is also supported by the Alliance for Good Government, the AFL-CIO, the Forum For Equality PAC, the Independent Women’s Organization (IWO) and the Painters & Allied Trades International Union.
