New Orleans sanitation, budget, infrastructure, and public-safety funding face mounting pressure

October sanitation-rate increases will raise residential bills to $32.25 and nonresidential bills to $64.50 to address a projected $24.7 million gap. Mayor Helena Moreno's strained 2027 budget process and 2028 SWBNO-City Hall merger face sharper questions about debt approaching $1 billion, rates, fees, legal structure, borrowing capacity, drainage reliability, and service accountability; heavy rain adds immediate flooding exposure.