Big Easy Budget Equity Voter Guide – All Other Offices

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Orleans Parish Assessor

The Orleans Parish Assessor is responsible for determining the value of all property in New Orleans for tax purposes. This office plays a key role in how much property owners pay in taxes each year, and has huge implications on fairness, housing affordability, and public trust.

Hover or click on the questions below each candidate to see their provided responses. For the sake of brevity and readability, some candidates’ responses have been summarized, the full transcript of their responses can be found here.

Corey Gerard Dowden

 

 

Didn’t answer survey

Casius H. Pealer III

 

Stated Top Priorities

  • Infrastructure, transportation, and environment
  • Economic development and housing
  • Youth, families, and culture
How would you make the City's budget process more equitable and transparent?
I am running in part to deliver transparency with regards to property taxes and to be sure that this office works more closely with the community. As Orleans Parish Assessor, I would provide greater information to property owners on their annual property tax bill, and actively reach out to renters and small businesses regarding the share of property taxes they pay. I would also provide the public with an annual report on commercial tax incentives to help track public benefits achieved through these public investments. Finally, I would make details clear regarding the impact of property taxes NOT paid by public and nonprofit owners, including data on tax exempt properties used for non-exempt purposes or for no purpose at all.
If elected, how will you provide meaningful opportunities for residents to hold you accountable to will of the people of New Orleans
As an independent official, an election by the people of New Orleans is the only way to truly hold the Assessor accountable. As a resident myself, I would expect to see far more transparency and reporting from the Assessor's office, helping residents and other elected officials to better understand both the successes and the shortcomings of the Assessor's work. I am running in part to deliver that kind of transparency.

Earl "Jay" Schmitt Jr.

 

 

 

Didn’t answer survey

Erroll G. Williams

 

Stated Top Priorities

  • Community safety
  • Economic development and housing
  • Infrastructure, transportation, and environment
How would you make the City's budget process more equitable and transparent?
The role of the Assessor's Office is to determine all property values in the Parish of Orleans for the purpose of creating an ad valorem tax roll. While we are a crucial cog in the machinery of the budgeting process, the office has essentially no control over how the City prepares the budget or engages the public in the process. What I will say is that, having served as both Chief Financial Officer and Tax Collector for the City of New Orleans, I know that one of the most important steps in the budgeting process is revenue projections and it looks like the City has missed the mark on that this year. We're facing a $100 million budget shortfall, and the Housing Trust Fund is being shorted some $8 million. Tax collections aren't meeting projections. Equity and transparency don't go far without accuracy, and the City has a lot of room for improvement on this front.
If elected, how will you provide meaningful opportunities for residents to hold you accountable to will of the people of New Orleans
I run the most transparent Assessor's Office in the state of Louisiana. Our website gets over 1.5 million views every year because we list all property information in an easily accessible and understandable parcel search page. We also ask citizens to hold each other accountable with our Homestead Exemption Fraud Hotline, 504-754-8929. Additionally, by law we hold a public inspection period every July 15 through August 15 to allow property owners the opportunity to dispute their assessed value. Fair and equitable assessments that are transparent and delivered in a courteous and professional manner are the mission of this office and one that I am proud to say we have achieved.

Clerk - Civil District Court

This clerk maintains two divisions – Land Records and Civil. The Land Records Division is where documents regarding property are recorded. To make information accessible, all documents are recorded, scanned, and filed and cand be accessed electronically online. 

Chelsey Richard Napoleon

 

 

 

Didn’t answer survey

Clerk - Criminal District Court

The Clerk of Criminal District Court is the administrative backbone of the criminal court system in New Orleans. They also oversee our local elections. The Clerk plays a crucial role in ensuring the justice system runs efficiently and fairly. Accurate, timely, and transparent records are vital for accountability and trust in the legal system. Delays in paperwork or scheduling can slow down trials, delay justice, or even cause cases to be dismissed.

Calvin Duncan

 

Stated Top Priorities

  • Health and food security
  • Youth, families, and culture
  • Economic development and housing
How would you make the City's budget process more equitable and transparent?
As Clerk of Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, I will bring transparency and equity to an office that has long lacked both. The Clerk’s Office is responsible for maintaining court records and serving as Chief Elections Officer. Under current and past leadership, access to records has been opaque, unresponsive, and often unaffordable—especially for incarcerated individuals and crime survivors. I know this firsthand. While wrongfully imprisoned for 28 years, I struggled to access my own court records, delaying justice and my eventual exoneration. That experience fuels my commitment to reform. The current Clerk promised to digitize and modernize records but has failed to deliver. When elected, I will ensure all active case files are digitized and accessible at low or no cost, especially for those in prison. Office policies will be posted online, free to the public. As Chief Elections Officer, I’ll make election information clear and accessible—how to register, deadlines, polling places—ensuring transparency and trust in our electoral process. This office has the power to serve the people with dignity and fairness. I will make sure it does.
If elected, how will you provide meaningful opportunities for residents to hold you accountable to will of the people of New Orleans
I know firsthand that when the Clerk of Court fails, innocent people suffer, and justice is delayed or denied. Public safety depends on trust in our criminal legal system’s accuracy. As a jailhouse lawyer, I lived alongside clients, understanding accountability deeply—knowing every case impacts a real person’s life. Since leaving prison, I’ve maintained that commitment: every record represents a person’s whole life. That’s the mentality I will bring to the Clerk’s Office—something it should have had all along. I will ensure transparent, accessible information about the office’s processes, both online and in-person. I will invite the public to meet with me to share feedback and hold town halls where residents can learn about the office and discuss improvements. As Chief Elections Officer, I will not only uphold accountability to the will of New Orleans residents but will administer elections with integrity, ensuring that the true voice of the people is heard.

Darren Lombard

 

 

 

Didn’t answer survey

Valencia Miles

 

Stated Top Priorities

  • Community Safety
  • Economic development and housing
  • Youth, families, and culture
If elected, how will you provide meaningful opportunities for residents to hold you accountable to will of the people of New Orleans
If elected, I will create clear and meaningful ways for every resident to hold me accountable. That means open monthly meetings , an online public dashboard showing where every dollar is spent, and a community oversight board that reviews our progress. I will publish a yearly report card to show what we've accomplished and where we need to do better. My goal is simple: to ensure that the will of the people is always reflected in the actions of city government, and that every resident has a voice in shaping our future

Sherrifs

The Sheriff manages the jail and the people in custody at Orleans Parish Justice Center (OCJC). Unlike in other counties in the country, the New Orleans Sheriff does not generally handle street-level policing.

Susan Hutson

 

Stated Top Priorities

  • Economic Development and Housing
  • Youth, families, and culture
  • Community Safety
How would you make the City's budget process more equitable and transparent?
As Sheriff, I believe equity and transparency in the City’s budget require early, collaborative planning between the City administration, City Council, and parish offices like the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. While the City is legally obligated to fund parish agencies, true partnership ensures alignment on priorities and addresses community needs from all sides. We must also integrate input from groups like Committee for a Better New Orleans, the Business Council, City Services Coalition, and the Urban League. This approach balances operational needs with the services residents expect. Planning should look beyond a single fiscal year and include a 5–10 year financial horizon. Long-term forecasting allows the City to prepare for challenges, invest in opportunities, and ensure stable, equitable funding for critical services. For true transparency, the budget must include clear objectives tied to measurable outcomes. Each investment—in public safety, infrastructure, housing, or social services—should be tracked, with results shared publicly. Right now, the process lacks both depth and clarity. We must change that.
If elected, how will you provide meaningful opportunities for residents to hold you accountable to will of the people of New Orleans
Publish performance dashboards and progress reports. Clearly track and display our goals and outcomes whether linked to public safety, infrastructure, or economic development. This builds trust and empowers the public to see tangible results. Host regular, structured Q&A sessions with constituents. This could take the form of town halls, community roundtables, or formal and relevant question periods, where I, as an official, must explain and justify actions to the public. These forums enhance responsiveness and allow for direct scrutiny in a transparent setting. Mobilize civic participation regularly. Civic engagement whether through organized citizen groups, petitions, or issue-based campaigns is a powerful tool to keep government accountable. I would love to see the OPPRC (Orleans Parish Prison Reform Coalition) return and be oversight for the jail, since they are knowledgeable and helped create the public platform that I ran on and I am carrying out.

Ernesteayo J "Ernest" Lee Sr.

 

 

 

Didn’t answer survey

Robert "Bob" Murray

 

Stated Top Priorities

  •  Economic development and housing
  • Community safety
  • Infrastructure, transportation, and environment
How would you make the City's budget process more equitable and transparent?
Equity-Driven Budgeting Community-Led Priorities: Host regular budget forums in each district, allowing residents to rank funding priorities before the draft budget is created. Equity Impact Assessments: Require every department to submit a racial and economic equity analysis for proposed spending. Equity-Driven Budgeting Community-Led Priorities: Host regular budget forums in each district, allowing residents to rank funding priorities before the draft budget is created. Equity Impact Assessments: Require every department to submit a racial and economic equity analysis for proposed spending. Equity-Driven Budgeting Community-Led Priorities: Host regular budget forums in each district, allowing residents to rank funding priorities before the draft budget is created. Equity Impact Assessments: Require every department to submit a racial and economic equity analysis for proposed spending. Transparency & Accountability, I would create a public oversight panel to establish citizen-led budget review boards to monitor implementation and flag discrepancies.
If elected, how will you provide meaningful opportunities for residents to hold you accountable to will of the people of New Orleans
Monthly Public Briefings. I will host open forums to report departmental performance, budget use and community concerns

Julian Parker

 

 

 

Didn’t answer survey

Edwin Mark Shorty Jr.

 

 

 

Didn’t answer survey

Michelle Woodfork

 

Stated Top Priorities

  • Community safety
  • Economic development and housing
  • Community safety
  • Youth, families, and culture
How would you make the City's budget process more equitable and transparent?
One of my top priorities is to create much-needed transparency and to end improper spending at the jail stemming from a lack of leadership and a culture of favoritism. In my first days as Sheriff, I will begin a comprehensive review of all contracts, budgets, and maintenance records to cut waste and redirect funds to safety, staffing, and essential services. I will also launch a full security audit to identify immediate risks in staffing, supervision, surveillance, and facility infrastructure. Running a jail is not a game. It requires confident, common-sense leadership and a serious commitment to public safety.
If elected, how will you provide meaningful opportunities for residents to hold you accountable to will of the people of New Orleans
To increase transparency and accountability, I plan to launch public data dashboards, require competitive bidding and independent audits for all contracts, and provide regular, detailed reports to the City Council and public to track spending, staffing, and compliance progress, especially on the Budget. I will also ensure OPSO complies with the federal consent decree and oversight requirements, while creating clear, public benchmarks for progress and accountability. In addition, I plan to establish a much-needed Consent Decree Compliance Unit to focus leadership attention on meeting federal mandates and exiting oversight. Last, but certainly not least, in my first few days, I plan to meet with City officials, NOPD, the District Attorney, the Public Defender, and community partners to start building a shared strategic plan for jail operations, budget priorities, and population management.