Question 1: As Mayor, how will you demonstrate leadership regarding water and the environment?

New Orleans must embrace a future where we learn to live with water rather than purely fight against it. As mayor, I will prioritize investments in green infrastructure that helps manage stormwater and reduce flooding during heavy rain events. This means creating more spaces that hold and absorb water, such as rain gardens, bioswales, and parks designed to double as water retention sites, so our neighborhoods are better protected.

I will also work to incentivize homeowners and businesses to play a role. Simple steps, such as installing rain barrels, using gutters that direct water away from streets, and replacing pavement with grass or permeable materials, can make a big difference when practiced across the city. My administration will provide financial and technical support to make these practices more accessible and affordable.
At the same time, we must invest in larger-scale water retention infrastructure and adapt our building standards to reflect the increased intensity of storms and heavier rainfall. This includes updating codes to encourage permeable surfaces, requiring new developments to manage stormwater on-site, and aligning city planning with long-term resilience goals.

Living with water requires a cultural shift and a coordinated effort at every level, from individual households to citywide infrastructure. I am committed to leading this shift and making New Orleans a model for how cities can thrive in the face of climate change by working in harmony with our natural environment.

Question 2: Prior to Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was supposed to be honestly protected against a 1 in 200 to 1 in 300 year storm (roughly Hurricane Katrina for New Orleans).  It was not.  After Hurricane Katrina exactly no one said this City deserved a lower level but more robust level of protection, but that is what we have.  As Mayor, what will you do to increase our hurricane storm risk reduction to at least the level we were supposed to have had pre-storm?

Protecting New Orleans from stronger storms requires coordination at every level of government. As mayor, I will work closely with our federal delegation and push the Army Corps of Engineers to ensure our levee system provides the level of protection our residents deserve. That also means demanding real action on closing and moving dirt on the the MRGO, which continues to pose risks to our region nearly two decades after it was supposed to be addressed.

I will fight for the state resources we need to meet fund-matching requirements on storm protection projects, making sure New Orleans never leaves federal dollars on the table. At the same time, I will lead efforts to harden our city’s infrastructure to reduce subsidence and improve our ability to live with water. This includes expanding investments in green infrastructure, water retention projects, and drainage improvements that work with, rather than against, our environment.

Finally, we must invest in protecting our homes themselves. I am committed to fortifying at least 25 percent of roofs in New Orleans with fortified roof standards. This single step can drastically reduce insurance costs, improve household resilience, and keep families safer when the next major storm arrives.

Question 3: New Orleans has underfunded or unfunded needs in the areas of disaster preparedness, hazard mitigation and disaster resilience. Under your leadership, how will the City secure the resources necessary to meet those needs?

New Orleans is facing a major budget shortfall, and residents have lost faith in our local government’s ability to deliver on basic needs. That lack of trust makes it very difficult to ask for more revenue through new taxes, fees, or millages until we show people that their dollars are being used responsibly and effectively. Restoring that trust will be one of my top priorities.

At the same time, we cannot ignore the fact that our city has significant underfunded needs in disaster preparedness, hazard mitigation, and resilience. To address these challenges, I support implementing a stormwater management fee that is shared fairly across all property owners, including commercial properties that are not currently on the city’s tax rolls. This approach ensures everyone contributes to the infrastructure we all rely on.

I will also pursue every possible state and federal resource to support hazard mitigation projects and make sure New Orleans is positioned to meet any local match requirements. By combining responsible local revenue with outside funding, and by restoring accountability in how those dollars are spent, we can finally build the resilient systems our residents deserve.

Question 4: As Mayor, what will you do to ensure that the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board has the funding, resources and equipment, trained personnel and the “can do” culture to carry out its essential functions?

The Sewerage and Water Board is its own political entity, but one that plays an enormous role in protecting our community and ensuring our city can function. We need a Sewerage and Water Board with the professional capacity, resources, and financial stability to carry out its mission effectively. That means investing in trained personnel, modern equipment, and a culture that values accountability and performance.

As mayor, I will work to remove politics from the Board and focus on building a system driven by technical expertise. I am open to dramatic reforms, including changes to the governance structure, even removing the mayor from the board, if that ensures the hard decisions are being made by experts who can best protect the city.

At the same time, I will advocate for the local, state, and federal funding necessary to strengthen the Board’s financial position and allow it to make long-term infrastructure investments.

Question 5: Flood protection and the provision of a safe and secure water supply is increasingly a regional challenge, as Mayor how will you engage with officials in other parishes and in state government to develop and implement long-term solutions to those challenges?

Flood protection and securing a safe water supply are challenges that do not stop at parish or jurisdictional lines. Our issues, whether drainage, coastal land loss, or saltwater intrusion, are regional by nature and require regional solutions. As a long-serving state legislator, I have worked with colleagues from different political and geographic backgrounds to solve tough problems, and I will bring that same collaborative approach to City Hall.

As mayor, I will strengthen coordination with our regional partners just as we should on issues like transit and economic development. That means building strong relationships with leaders in Jefferson, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, St. Tammany, and the River Parishes, and ensuring that those who manage our drainage and water systems in New Orleans are in regular communication with their counterparts across the region.

We cannot afford to approach water management in silos. I will ensure the City of New Orleans is a full partner in regional planning and advocacy, working with state government and our federal delegation to secure resources and implement long-term, resilient solutions for the entire metro area.

Question 6: As Mayor, will you support a city-wide drainage fee? Y/N

YES

Question 7: As Mayor, what will you do to prepare the City to deal with, avoid, and mitigate the impacts of sea level rise and coastal land loss?

Preparing New Orleans for sea level rise and coastal land loss requires strong partnerships and decisive local action. As mayor, I will work closely with our state and federal governments to secure funding for wetland restoration projects and build stronger relationships with our partners closer to the coast. These wetlands are our natural storm buffer, and their loss makes every storm more dangerous. When the governor cancelled the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project earlier this year, it highlighted the need for a better way to work together at every level of government. Climate change, sea level rise, and coastal land loss should not be political issues. They threaten everyone, regardless of party or parish, and we need leaders willing to act with urgency.

I am committed to pushing for restoration of the MRGO, which continues to put our region at risk nearly two decades after it was supposed to be addressed. At the same time, our city must do its part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience. That means leading by example in city operations and creating incentives for residents and businesses to take part. I support establishing a CPACE program in New Orleans to make it more economically feasible for commercial property owners to retrofit their buildings to be greener, more energy efficient, and more resilient.

Question 8: The greatest natural hazard facing the City is not hurricanes or river flooding but rain.  As Mayor, what will you do to increase the City’s ability to handle large rain events and to recover from them when they occur?

Our city must become much better at living with water. As mayor, I will lead investments in green infrastructure that help us capture and hold stormwater during large rain events. That means creating rain gardens, bioswales, and parks that double as water retention sites, while also expanding drainage and water retention projects across the city.

I will also work to incentivize homeowners and businesses to be part of the solution. Installing rain barrels, redirecting gutters, and replacing pavement with permeable materials may seem small, but citywide adoption can greatly reduce flooding pressure. My administration will make these tools more accessible through financial and technical support, while also pursuing a fair stormwater management fee that ensures every property owner contributes, including those not currently on the tax rolls.

At the same time, we must adapt our building standards and harden our infrastructure to reduce subsidence. I will also push to fortify at least 25 percent of roofs across the city, a measure that will reduce insurance costs while making homes more resilient when storms strike.
Recovering from major rain events requires preparation, communication, and coordination. My administration will strengthen early warning systems, enhance inter-agency planning, and ensure that residents are aware of available resources before, during, and after a storm.

Question 9: The availability and cost of insurance is a growing problem for homeowners and businesses which makes it a problem for the City.  What can the City do to make insurance more available and affordable?

The cost and availability of insurance have become a crisis for homeowners, businesses, and the entire city. As mayor, I will take direct steps to lower risk and make New Orleans a more attractive place for insurers to do business. One of the most impactful tools we have is the Fortified Roof program. I am committed to ensuring at least 25 percent of homes in the city receive fortified roofs, which can dramatically reduce storm damage and drive down insurance costs for families.

For commercial properties, I support creating a CPACE program in New Orleans. This will make it financially feasible for business owners to retrofit their buildings to be stronger, greener, more energy efficient, and more resilient. By lowering risk through stronger construction and smarter investments, we can make coverage more available and affordable.

Ultimately, the city must lead by showing that we are serious about reducing vulnerability. When we invest in resilience at scale, insurers will respond, and residents and businesses will finally see relief.