New Orleans mayor says airline industry is unsafe for black women and is refusing to pay back $30,000 in taxpayers’ money
The Democratic mayor of New Orleans has declared economy-class flights unsafe for black women and insisted she will not return $30,000 in taxpayer money blown on first-class flights to France and Switzerland.
At a news conference on Thursday, LaToya Cantrell said: “My travel accommodations are a matter of safety, not luxury.
“As all women know, our health and safety are often neglected and we are left alone.
“As the mother of a young child that I live for, I will protect myself by whatever means necessary to ensure I am there to see her grow into the strong woman I am raising her to be.
“Anyone who wants to ask how I protect myself just doesn’t understand the world black women walk in.”
She has repeatedly refused to pay for herself the cost of an American Airlines luxury flight from Washington Dulles Airport to Switzerland in July, despite a city ban on luxury air travel.
Cantrell spent around $10,000 on her own flatbed seat and squandered a similar amount on a first-class return to France earlier this year — while her assistants traveled on the bus.
Cantrell has defended her purchase of the luxury tickets as she is both “doing business” on behalf of the city and believes it would not be safe for her to travel economy class.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell is refusing to repay monies spent on international business and first-class flights to France and Switzerland
While the mayor sat in first class, her team, including her security personnel, sat in the carriage.
The chief administrative officer has revealed how the legal department is still investigating whether Cantrell needs to reimburse nearly $30,000 in taxpayer money for first-class tickets to France and Switzerland.
When the mayor was asked by journalists on Thursday whether she was considering refilling the city’s coffers, the mayor’s reaction was extremely harsh.
“Any expenses incurred in doing business on behalf of the City of New Orleans will not be reimbursed to the City of New Orleans,” Mayor Cantrell said outside the Nix Library.
“One thing is clear; I do my job and will continue to do it with distinction and integrity every step of the way. And that’s what I have to say about it!’
During a press conference, Cantrell stated their purchase was more of a “safety issue” than a convenience issue. She also justified the extravagant expenses with the fact that they were business trips
The mayor insists the trips and luxury travel expenses were necessary to improve New Orleans itself.
But the city’s travel policy leaves little wiggle room: “Employees must purchase the lowest available airfare…Employees who choose to upgrade from economy or business class flights are solely responsible for the difference in fare.”
The policy also states, “Any settlement of travel expenses that results in an overpayment by the city requires that the employee reimburse the city within twenty business days.”
That’s what the mayor’s staff say fox 8 they “check” that city policy even applies to the mayor, who is an elected official and not specifically hired by the city itself.
“I think that’s still being reviewed with the law to determine the differences between the CAO policy, the official policy chosen and the different variations,” said Gilbert Montaño, the city’s chief administrative officer.
“At this point in time there is no definitive conclusion. It’s legal at the moment and we’re evaluating it and I think there would be a decision sooner rather than later.
She now owes $30,000 in upgrade costs for American Airlines first-class upgrades. The city’s travel policy states, “Employees must purchase the lowest available airfare…”
In January, the mayor spent more than $2,300 to fly first class to a meeting of the mayors’ conference in Washington, DC. The rest of her entourage paid $250.
Then, in March, the mayor spent more than $2,800 to fly first class to Miami, where a US mayors’ conference was being held. The cost is nine times that of NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson’s $342 tariff.
Other city employees paid $677 to make the trip 4WWL.
That’s about nine times the $342 NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson paid to fly economy to the same meeting. Other employees paid $677.
Come summer saw two expensive jaunts to Europe Mayor Cantrell and three of her key associates spend more than $40,000 on trips to France, which she defended by drawing on the city’s heritage.
“You’re talking about France, which is where we come from, and you mean part of the fabric of the city of New Orleans. You’re talking about France, which has an ambassador living in the city of New Orleans,” Cantrell said during a news conference in August.
The mayor’s first-class flight cost $11,000 more than the equivalent economy-class ticket purchased by her communications officer, Gregory Joseph.
“Absolutely, I’m traveling business class. I need protection. … I need to be safe when doing business on behalf of the City of New Orleans,” Cantrell said.
A week after returning from France, the mayor traveled across the pond again, this time to Ascona in Switzerland to sign a ‘twin town’ agreement.
Her flight cost just over $9,800, with her spending more than $11,000 for the six-day trip.
Robert Collins, a professor of public policy at Dillard University, says the mayor could easily argue that despite her elected status, she is a city employee.
“It’s like saying the President of the United States is not an employee of the federal government. He’s on a salary, of course,” Collins said.
“It’s like saying the governor of Louisiana is not an employee of the state government. Of course he is. He is the chairman of the state government. So to pretend that there is a legal difference between an elected official who receives a salary from a government agency and an employee of that government agency is problematic, I think.’