IIA February 2023 Webinar

Title: Managing the Windfall: Tracking the City of New Orleans’ Use of Federal Pandemic Relief Funds

Date/Time: Wednesday, February 8^th from 12pm – 1pm CST

Event Type: Zoom Webinar

Cost: Free for Members/Students; $10 for Non-Members

Registration Deadline: Monday, February 6^th at 5pm CST

CPE: 1 Hour

Webinar information will be emailed before the event date, after registration for the event is closed.

Description: The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) will discuss its recent report on the City of New Orleans' uses of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

The federal government has provided state and local governments with unprecedented financial relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The City's $388 million allocation is substantial by any measure. It equates to 59% of the City’s pre-pandemic recurring General Fund revenue and $996 per resident.

The federal government allows considerable flexibility in spending the money. Eligible uses include, for example, public health expenditures, offset of revenue shortfalls and certain infrastructure.

Federally required public reporting on ARPA use and the City’s own reporting focus only on direct ARPA expenditures. Therefore, they do not capture the important broader financial effects of the ARPA funds. BGR’s report enhances public oversight of the relief funds by providing a more comprehensive picture of ARPA’s impacts on the City’s finances and budget priorities. It also identifies gaps in reporting that make it difficult for the public to follow the money and hold City officials accountable for their funding decisions.

The Bureau of Governmental Research is a private, nonprofit, independent research organization dedicated to informed public policy making and the effective use of public resources for the improvement of government in the New Orleans metropolitan area.

	Rebecca Mowbray President & CEO / Samuel Zemurray Chair in Research Leadership, Bureau of Governmental Research Bio: Ms. Mowbray joined BGR in 2022 with broad experience in the public policy field. Ms. Mowbray worked as a journalist for 18 years. She also spent nearly eight years in the New Orleans Office of Inspector General as an Assistant Inspector General and Program Evaluator. Her training at the OIG included studying internal audit. Ms. Mowbray also served as Deputy Commissioner for Public Affairs in the Louisiana Department of Insurance, where she oversaw all communication activities. From its start, Ms. Mowbray’s career has focused on governmental reform, accountability, and transparency. She also has received two master’s degrees in related fields, one from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and one from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, as well as an international professional fellowship awarded to distinguished scholars by the Henry Luce Foundation.

	Stephen Stuart Vice President & Research Director, Bureau of Governmental Research Bio: Stephen graduated with a Bachelor of Accountancy from Loyola University New Orleans. Prior to joining BGR, he worked as a local reporter covering business, economic development, and local government issues. He has been part of the BGR research team since 2002.

	Susie Dudis Research Analyst, Bureau of Governmental Research Bio: Ms. Dudis received a MS and Ph.D in International Development from Tulane University and a BA in Economics from Pomona College. Before joining BGR in 2017, she worked for education organizations in New Orleans and India and as a research assistant on a U.S. Department of Labor grant in West Africa.