City‑Parish finance director: $1.16 billion budget, major workforce cuts and thin reserves planned
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Summary
Finance Director Angie Savoie told the Metro Council the proposed 2026 city‑parish budget totals roughly $1.156 billion with a $332 million general fund. To align recurring expenses with revenue the plan recommends deleting roughly 234 positions and substantial reductions in the finance office that Savoie said will lengthen service times and reduce nonessential functions.
Angie Savoie, head of the finance department, told the Metro Council that the City‑Parish’s proposed total budget is about $1.156 billion and that only $332 million (28%) is undedicated general fund. "Sales tax supports 86% of our operations," Savoie said, adding that the legislative auditor recommends about two months of operating cash but current non‑dedicated reserves equal roughly 36 days.
Savoie outlined personnel changes in the plan: she said the parish’s personnel allotment has fallen over four years and that the 2026 budget recommends deleting 234 positions, of which she said 213 have been frozen since 2025. She also described proposed reductions inside finance: an allotment of 95, deleting 15 positions and a planned 23‑position reduction that she characterized as a ~35% cut to finance staff. "We're definitely going to have to reevaluate some of our processes," Savoie told council members.
Council members pressed for operational detail as Savoie quantified workload: more than 7,000 bank transactions reconciled monthly, over 1,600 journal entries per month, roughly 2,000 cash receipts and thousands of payroll forms. She warned that fewer staff could mean slower customer service at the cashier window, longer taxpayer assistance wait times and fewer checks issued on any given week.
Savoie said the budget assumes modest growth in some taxes — a $10 million city sales‑tax increase offset by a larger $19 million parish decline tied to recent changes — and noted that enterprise funds (sewer, solid waste, airport) and scheduled pension benefit payments influence the numbers. The presenter also cited a projected $1.9 million increase tied to property reassessments.
The finance director urged building fund balance to meet best practices so the parish can respond to disasters and cash‑flow needs. The council set a follow‑up budget hearing for Monday, November 24, at 5 p.m., when drainage, transportation and other departments will appear.
The hearing included no formal vote; council members and department heads said they will continue to refine appropriations in coming meetings.
