From potholes and flooding to unsafe roads and sidewalks, New Orleanians have dealt with failing infrastructure for too long. It’s more important than ever to improve our streets and mobility to be safe and accessible for everyone – whether driving, walking, biking, or taking transit. The people of New Orleans currently have the opportunity to ensure more resources are dedicated to street infrastructure, including complete streets and bike infrastructure!
There are four separate ballot measures that will help improve safety and accessibility of our streets, ensure better long-term maintenance of our infrastructure, and protect our most vulnerable residents. Bike Easy is encouraging all of our members and supporters to vote YES on all 4 ballot measures.
Early voting is November 2 – 9, and election day is November 16th! Make sure to get out and cast your “yes” votes for:
INFRASTRUCTURE BOND
This provides the city more funding for road repairs, complete streets, and stormwater management without increasing taxes! It also allows the city to use some of the funds to build affordable housing. Complete streets and the low-stress bikeway network are a part of the city’s overall infrastructure improvements. These dollars can also be leveraged to add complete streets features to FEMA-funded repair projects. This funding is also key to improving safety and accessibility on our streets.
MAINTENANCE FUND MILLAGE
This measure creates a dedicated maintenance fund for infrastructure for the first time in New Orleans. The lack of maintenance funds ends up costing us more in the long-run, and it is now threatening further federal investment to support new infrastructure. The measure reinstates and reallocates a recent 3-mill property tax reduction in order to provide approximately $12 million for on-going street, drainage, and public building maintenance. While more money for maintenance will still need to be found, this is an important start and can support efforts like bike lane restriping, replacing broken bollards, and keeping bike lanes clean and clear of debris.
SHORT-TERM RENTAL TAX
This measure is part of the overall #fairshare agreement negotiated by Mayor Cantrell, the state, and business leaders, and it ensure visitors that stay in short-term rentals pay the same local taxes as those who stay in hotels. Visitors benefit from and need city services – from public safety to good drainage, and this will ensure they help contribute to needed infrastructure improvements. More funding for infrastructure will mean improved safety and accessibility on our streets for residents and visitors alike!
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
This measure creates a Human Rights Commission in the City Charter that can help strengthen and enforce anti-discrimination laws. Bike Easy’s works to increase safe mobility options in part to improve health and economic equity, and the Human Rights Commission will help ensure that everyone can live up to their full potential, regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, or income-level.
For more safety and less stress, make sure to vote yes on all of these ballot measures! Early voting is going now through November 9th, and election day is on November 16th.
For more information on where you vote and other items that may be on your ballot, visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/.
For more information on the ballot measures described above, please visit https://www.bgr.org/report/bgr-studies-new-orleans-bond-and-tax-propositions/ and https://www.actionneworleans.com/nov16