Mayor Mitch is at City Hall this morning to release the 2013 City budget. After warnings from City officials that New Orleans' perennial budget hole continues to grow, the budget lays out the ways in which City government will have to tighten our belts. But will it result in residents paying more? Find out in our live blog:

 

11:03 The mayor enters. He says the budget is balanced. 2013 is a very very tough budget year, he says.

 

11:05 Now the litany of accomplishments of the Mayor's administration: In 2010, they pulled city back from fiscal cliff. They've spent the year since "focused like a laser" on your priorities. Our Bond rating rose to strong AB ratings, and GE capital and Nike invested in us, the Mayor says.

 

11:06 Budget philosophy grounded in belief that govt must be entrepreneurial, honest, fast, efficient and flexible, the mayor says. We must cut smart with a scalpel; not a hatchet. Reorganization to get people services they deserve

 

11:07 We still have the 100 million dollar budget hole we inherited. So, they cut  millions of dollars in contracts and cut use of city credit cards.

 

11:08 In 2011, mayor says they created a balanced budget- invested more in public safety more in blight reduction more in recreation- also shrunk budget. Residents take public safety as the top priority. NOLA for Life gets a shoutout, as does Telly Hankton's arrest. The mayor says the NOPD consent decree will help reforms take root and be sustainable.

 

11:09 Since taking office the mayor says he's focused on worst most dangerous blight. They've had great success, the mayor says. Blight was reduced by 8000 properties since 2010. "We will win this fight aginst blight," he says.

 

11:10: Other things that the City has done: Major corridors fixed (streets) 44000 potholes filled,  replaced 20000 street lights- by December 10,000 this year alone, cleaned up nuisance bars and corner stores

 

11:11 The mayor says they've doubled recreation funding in the past, but it's a tough budget and NORD will get less funding than last year.

 

11:12 Now the mayor is talking about attracting new retailers. "My mama told me to tell y'all to shop local," he says.

 

11:13 The mayor says he's targeted people who owe the city money. They've increased the number of cars booted by 90 percent, upped sales tax collections and fees in occupational licenses

 

11:14 Now the mayor sends prayers out to northeasterners. He offered assistance to them. Now he brings up Isaac, where he says we had more than 3000 public employees and contractors in Isaac. "We passed the test of Isaac," he says.

 

11:15 More about Reinventing New Orleans government: We must continue to change. Business as usual is fiscally unsustainable, he says. Now he brings up the "massive unprecedented massive cuts to healthcare and education." The "path of austerity on state level will not lead to success," he says.

 

11:17 In 2013, revenues are expected to grow. But there's bad news. It won't pay for existing costs. The costs are rising for employee healthcare, and we cannot and will my spend more than we have.

 

11:18 8-10 percent reduction in public safety employees. He says these are tough choices. These departments will hurt. "We will do less with less," he says.

11:19 The Mayor is proposing to eliminate the city's department of human services, which handles social service referrals and oversees the new juvenile facility. 

 

11:20 19 boards and commissions are undergoing changes, saving time and money

11:21 The mayor won't be spared from the cuts. The mayor's office is taking a 25 percent cut. Landrieu says we must "All share in the pain" and try to do so without massive layoffs or forloughs.

 

11:22 More on crime. Fighting crime is the top priority. There won't be any layoffs at NOPD, and the consent decree will be fully implemented.

 

11:23 Coroner's budget will remain at 2012 levels. As firefighters retire, the NOFD will shrink, the mayor says. They will continue to fund Tulane towers program and fund the youth studies center.Save Our Sons, Ceasefire, Nola For Life and midnight basketball will all continue.

 

11:25 In 2013, they'll stretch the dollar further, the mayor says. Blight fight is fully funded.

 

11:26 The streets will be clean in lean times: We're getting 6 new street sweepers.

11:27 They'll continue customer service and fully commit to Nola 311. 10 million dollars is in disaster money to replenish street lights. 

 

11:28 Light bills going up: The mayor is asking the City Council for a 2 percent Entergy fee increase. That means keeping the lights on would cost most households 2 dollars a month. If the City doesn't pass it, they will still fund streetlight repair but won't be able to fund it now.

 

11:29 Sewerage and Water Board enforcement: The mayor is also going to ask the Council to let the Sewerage and Water Board crack down on those who don't pay sanitation fee.

 

11:30 Now onto long term solutions. Next legislative session, they're going to ask that firefighters like police pay their fair share. They have 40 million dollars in bond issuance for new streets. 

 

11:31 In the coming weeks, every department board or other commission with participate in a robust series of discussion in City Council chambers

 

11:33 Question time! Are there layoffs in any city agencies? "From time to time as we have reorganized functions the city has done layoffs. Most cuts from most agencies will be met with attrition but may be occasion where departments choose to stop performing functions and use targeted layoffs." These will be exceptions and not the rule.
 

 

11:34 Higher energy fee- How much will it bring in? 20 million in 2013. It's a long term solution to buy new more energy efficient equipment, the mayor says.

 

11:35 We're trying to create a balance that's sustainable over time. We have been finding one-time money to fund an every year expense. This year we want to make one that is structurally sound. Through good management we think we can get to our numbers

 

11:36 We cannot host our way out of a budget crisis, the mayor says. City government gets a small portion of the revenue generated by major events.

11:37 Now the mayor talks about the problems above. The state continues to not honor it's obligations to the city- not funding indigent defenders or district attorney, and more, he says. Federal government is getting smaller and not doing its job. When it gets to city it's either revenue reductions / services cuts.
 

 

11:38 Sewage and water board doesn't have authority to enforce with trash bills; only water. Mayor wants to expand enforcement to trash.

 

11:40 That's a wrap. As the mayor said the budget will continue to be a hot topic in the coming months. Stay with NOLA Defender for further coverage as the City Council hears the proposals.