NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - New Orleans mayor Helena Moreno said Tuesday (Oct. 20) she is going to Paris for Sunday’s Steelers-Saints game and a series of meetings, and that she is “personally paying” her travel expenses.
With the city grappling with a municipal budget deficit of more than $100 million, the statement from City Hall also noted “all of the mayor’s deputy mayors and the city’s Chief Administrative Officer will remain in New Orleans throughout the visit, ensuring continuity of city operations and ongoing work on the administration’s priorities.”
The statement drew a pointed distinction from Moreno’s predecessor.
Former mayor LaToya Cantrell, particularly in her second term, was criticized for frequent international travel at taxpayer expense, often bringing an entourage of aides and bodyguards she insisted were necessary for her safety.
Cantrell took several trips to France and attended conferences in Dubai, Qatar, South Korea, Africa and Canada on the taxpayers’ dime. Cantrell was made to repay the city for first-class upgrades on some of the trips after initially resisting.
“This is a historic opportunity for both Paris and New Orleans, two of the most extraordinary cities in the world,” Moreno said in a statement. “I’m incredibly proud to be there representing the people of New Orleans as our Saints take the field in Paris.”
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