NOLA Residents Dissatisfied With Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s Efforts

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

For the second consecutive year, the majority of city residents have expressed their disapproval of the mayor’s performance: Only a mere 31% voiced their support. According to the survey, last year only 30% approved of her administration, while a staggering 60% disapproved.

Cantrell’s current 59% disapproval rating comes as she finds herself embroiled in a series of controversies like her personal use of the city-owned Upper Pontalba apartment and her frequent taxpayer-funded travels outside the city.

The New Orleans City Council voted to oust Cantrell this year if she failed to vacate the Upper Pontalba unit and remove personal belongings by a specified date. Council Vice President J.P. Morrell, who sponsored the eviction motion, accused the mayor of “skirting the law.”

Cantrell also was accused of upgrading her airline tickets to first-class using taxpayer funds. The Louisiana Board of Ethics uncovered that upgrades were made for 13 domestic and two international flights, amounting to a cost 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 political analyst at Dillard University, stated, “The public takes all of those issues into account…Plus, they’re unhappy with the fact that they don’t feel like their city services are being delivered in an efficient manner.”

While the new 2024 survey shows an increase in Cantrell’s approval rating for handling crime, rising from 24% to 29%, her disapproval rating is 62%. Additionally, her approval rating for handling infrastructure issues stands at a mere 24%, falling one percentage point from the previous year.

The annual survey, conducted from May 29 to June 4, 2024, is based on a representative sample of 800 completed interviews with adults (18 and older) residing in New Orleans. The racial composition of the sample includes 58% African American, 35% white, and 7% other.

RELATED CONTENT: New Orleans Mayor Files Restraining Order Against Woman Accused of Stalking Her