Our Views: New Orleans should follow the Golden Rule and pay what the city owes – The Advocate

Its not explicitly spelled out, but the obligation to pay whats owed would surely fall under the Golden Rules mandate to do to others what you would have them do to you.

Just as surely, the city of New Orleans has long failed to live up to this basic standard when it comes to honoring legal claims. A recent accounting shows that the city has 568 outstanding legal judgments and settlements in state and federal courts totaling nearly $40 million.

Among them are a $375,000 settlement to the family of 18-year-old Mariah Woods, an innocent bystander killed during a reckless 2011 police chase, and a seven-figure judgment in favor of former city consultant George White that dates back to former Mayor Marc Morials administration.

For years, leaders of the perennially cash-strapped city have admitted that they have no principle to stand on, and occasionally attempted to whittle down the total. City Council member Joe Giarrusso has said New Orleans has a moral obligation to settle old scores, but his proposal to borrow against the existing judgment fund to do it was tabled when the pandemic struck. Last month Mayor LaToya Cantrell said the city will put an additional $5.9 million toward the cause, and the City Council approved $4 million to pay old judgments.

But they do have ill-advised law on their side, in the form of a state constitutional provision that allows governments not to pay judgments when funds arent appropriated for that purpose.

That should change, because New Orleans is hardly the only offender. Even if the constitution doesnt change, the city needs to come up with a plan to pay up. Jurisdictions across the country manage to do things right.

Politicians can say all right things about meeting their obligations. But until they do it, their words of sympathy are worth about as much as a city IOU.

Originally posted here:

Our Views: New Orleans should follow the Golden Rule and pay what the city owes - The Advocate