See Where Candidates Stand on
Early childhood Education in NOLA

New Orleans Campaign for Grade-Level Reading

New Orleans Campaign for Grade-Level Reading

Early Childhood Education Voter's Guide

This Voter’s Guide is designed to share information about where the candidates for New Orleans Mayor and City Council stand on key issues related to early childhood education. Candidates were invited to share their perspectives on five key questions focused on early childhood education funding, advocacy, access, and support for working families in New Orleans. Their responses are below. All candidates were invited to submit responses. All responses received are published here.

Before submitting their responses, all candidates were also invited to attend and view an educational webinar hosted by the New Orleans Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and its partners. This webinar was designed specifically to help candidates running for New Orleans City Council and Mayor develop a comprehensive understanding of the current state of early childhood education in New Orleans, including its challenges, successes, and opportunities for growth.

Partners

Mayor, City of New Orleans

Mayor, City of New Orleans

Joseph ‘Joe’ Bikulege

RESPONSES

Manny Chevrolet Bruno

RESPONSES

Eileen Carter

RESPONSES

ROYCE DUPLESSIS

RESPONSES

Helena Moreno

RESPONSES

Oliver M. Thomas Jr.

RESPONSES

Richard Twiggs Jr

RESPONSES

Russell J. Butler

NO RESPONSE RECEIVED

Renada Collins

NO RESPONSE RECEIVED

Frank Robert Janusa

NO RESPONSE RECEIVED

Frank M. Scurlock

NO RESPONSE RECEIVED

Councilmember at Large, Division 1

Councilmember at Large, Division 1

Matthew “Matt” Hill

RESPONSES

Matthew Willard

RESPONSES

Delisha Boyd

NO RESPONSE RECEIVED

Councilmember at Large, Division 2

Councilmember at Large, Division 2

Kenneth Cutno

RESPONSES

Gregory Manning

RESPONSES

J.P. Morrell

NO RESPONSE RECEIVED

Councilmember District A

Councilmember District A

Holly Friedman

RESPONSES

Aimee McCarron

RESPONSES

Alex Mossing

RESPONSES

Bob Murrell

RESPONSES

Bridget Neal

NO RESPONSE RECEIVED

Councilmember District C

Councilmember District C

Eliot Barron

RESPONSES

Kelsey Foster

RESPONSES

Jackson Kimbrell

NO RESPONSE RECEIVED

Freddie King III

NO RESPONSE RECEIVED

Councilmember District D

Councilmember District D

Belden Batiste

RESPONSES

Leilani Heno

RESPONSES

Eugene Green

NO RESPONSE RECEIVED

Councilmember District E

Councilmember District E

Rev. Richard Bell

RESPONSES

Danyelle Christmas

RESPONSES

Cyndi Nguyen

RESPONSES

Willie Morgan

RESPONSES

Gavin M. Richard

RESPONSES

Jonathan-Anthony Roberts

RESPONSES

Jason Hughes

NO RESPONSE RECEIVED

Nathaniel Jones

NO RESPONSE RECEIVED

Joseph ‘Joe’ Bikulege

Email: joebikulege@gmail.com

Phone Number: (504) 508-8999

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?

Yes.

If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

The City Council drafts and proposes the city budget, which is then submitted to the Mayor’s office for approval. I believe it is essential for the administration and council to hold a series of meetings both prior to and during the council’s budget preparations.

As mayor, my directive to the council would be to develop a five-year financial plan that ensures a balanced budget. Addressing redundancy, outdated programs, and overlapping initiatives would be key priorities for the administration. Additionally, I would provide input on areas I consider important and necessary for approval. In summary, if the city council fails to allocate sufficient funding for early care and education in the budget, I will not grant my approval.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

As a first-time candidate and without in-depth advice on this issue, it’s challenging to propose a specific action. However, as mayor, my administration would prioritize allocating every available dollar for this funding in the city budget. Afterward, we would engage with the state to address the required funds and available matching funds. Unfortunately, we are likely to see this trend of reduced federal funding impacting various services and their matching funds across the board.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

The city government has not effectively supported small businesses with basic and supplemental services necessary for their survival. The challenges that require a commitment from the administration are shared widely among small business owners. Without reform in the management and delivery of essential city services, both new and underfunded businesses will continue to struggle.

To address funding shortfalls, a critical first step is revising the city budget to eliminate redundancy and waste. Streamlining expenditures in these areas has the potential to resolve several persistent problems and redirect resources where they are needed most, including supporting small businesses.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

To address this crisis, we need to ensure basic services are available to local citizens and businesses to maintain operations, foster growth, and attract new commerce to our city. This is the key to creating better jobs and higher wages, making childcare more affordable.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?
Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?
Our budget feels bloated again, packed with waste and redundancy, and we’re outsourcing services that are turning out to be very expensive. By revising, correcting, and creating a respectable budget, we can find sufficient funding for these programs. A five-year fiscally responsible plan will ensure the funds we need today are available for these programs tomorrow. This type of fiscal responsibility would help ensure the concerned area is sustained beyond my term.

Manny Chevrolet Bruno

Email: mannychevrolet@yahoo.com

Phone Number: (504) 616-1022

 Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education? If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes. I don’t know yet.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes. I don’t know yet.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Let me think about it

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

No.

Eileen Carter

eileencartermayor@gmail.com
Phone: (504) 296-1961

eileencartermayor.com
@eileencartermayor  |  @eileen__carter (X)

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes. I would prioritize early child care by streamlining city services and eliminating silos between departments. Right now, many offices are operating independently, which leads to inefficiencies and wasted resources. By restructuring and coordinating efforts across chartered departments and mayoral offices, we can free up funding and reinvest it into early childhood programs. Quality child care supports working families, improves education outcomes, and strengthens our economy. It’s not just a social need—it’s a smart investment in our city’s future.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes. Yes, as mayor, I will absolutely use my platform to advocate for sustained early childhood funding at the state and federal levels. I plan to travel across Louisiana to rebuild relationships with leaders statewide. When New Orleans needs support—or when other parishes need us—we must be able to work together.

As a No Party candidate, I bring a unique perspective to the table. I’m not tied to party politics, and I believe that gives New Orleans a stronger voice. For the sake of our children, we need unity, not division. Early childhood education is too important to be caught in political crossfire—I’ll fight for the funding our families deserve.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes. Yes, I will. I’m fully committed to supporting early care and education providers so they can keep their doors open, grow their businesses, and pay a living wage to their teachers. Our educators and essential workers are central to my plan. I will advocate for increased funding for teachers and work to reduce the financial burdens they face.

This includes tiering the Housing Trust Fund to give priority access to essential workers, helping them afford to live in the city they serve. I’ll also look for ways to reduce unnecessary costs and barriers so we can keep more money in the pockets of families and educators.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes. Absolutely, yes. I was an essential worker for the City of New Orleans for three years, and I personally experienced the struggle when duty calls especially as a single mother. During hurricane activations, my child came with me and slept at City Hall. I understand the emotional and logistical burden that puts on working parents.

When elected, I will work to ensure local government employees—and all essential workers—have access to affordable, quality child care through local providers. I’ll also encourage private employers to step up and support their workers. This isn’t just about productivity—it’s about dignity, support, and building a stronger community together.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

I am fully committed to strengthening the Office of Youth and Families and ensuring its efforts are sustained well beyond my term. As mayor, I will give this office a real seat at the table within my Office of Education. I also commit to regular, transparent dialogue to track progress and ensure that milestones are met.

I will work with all elected officials—regardless of party or position—because this is not a divisive issue. These are our children, and they are our future. Together, we’ll create policies that prioritize youth and families in every budget, every year, because investing in them is investing in the future of New Orleans.

Royce Duplessis

Campaign Email: info@royceduplessis.com
Contact Phone Number: (504) 250-8876

Campaign Website and Social Media Handles

www.royceduplessis.com   |   @royce_duplessis

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

As Mayor, I will make early childhood education a top priority because it is one of the smartest investments we can make. Research shows every dollar invested in high-quality early care pays off with higher graduation rates, stronger earnings, and healthier communities. Too many of our children still live in child-care deserts, and far too few low-income families have access to early education. I will expand universal early care from birth to age three, build on universal Pre-K, and launch a citywide “Reading by 8” initiative. I will also fight for fair pay for teachers and ensure early learning is paired with mental health, literacy, and social supports so every child can thrive.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

As a state legislator, early childhood education has always been a priority for me, and I’ve learned how to bring people together across party lines and levels of government to deliver results. I know how to navigate Baton Rouge and Washington to protect funding and ensure New Orleans doesn’t lose the progress we’ve made with the millage and state match. As Mayor, I will leverage that experience to secure new investments, protect programs like Head Start, and maintain early learning as a priority, ensuring every child in our city has the strong start they deserve.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

I am committed to supporting both families and the small businesses that make up our early learning network. I will expand homeowner assistance programs to enable educators to live in the communities they serve, reduce insurance costs by investing in fortified roofs and other resiliency measures, and establish a small business loan fund to provide access to affordable capital. I also support targeted property tax subsidies for local businesses that meet community needs, ensuring providers and neighborhood anchors have the stability to thrive and continue serving families.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

The city is facing tough financial realities, but we cannot afford to shortchange early childhood education. I have made a bold commitment to creating a universal early care program and ensuring childcare is part of our long-term economic strategy. I know how to build coalitions across party lines and levels of government; I will use that experience to protect and expand funding for early learning. At the same time, we must engage the private sector to meet this challenge. Employers benefit when workers have reliable childcare. I will convene business, nonprofit, and government partners to expand employer-sponsored childcare, starting with hospitality workers and first responders, and ensure that the city leads by example in supporting our employees.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

In my conversations with advocates, I’ve heard over and over the critical role of the Office of Youth & Families. Our administration will maintain this office and prioritize programs that support our children and their families in the budget.

Helena Moreno

Campaign Email:  letsgo@helenamorenola.com
Contact Phone Number:  (504) 655-2878


Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
www.helenamorenola.com
@HelenamorenoHQ  |  @helenamorenola

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?

Yes.

If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Both in the state legislature and city council, I’ve been a strong supporter of bringing early childhood education to New Orleans. In 2018, we allocated the first $1.5M in city funds for additional seats. As Council President, we doubled that to $3M. I was the lead author to put the pre-k millage on the ballot, providing millions more. I will continue this work as mayor. As for additional funding for pre-k, is there anything more important? We have demonstrated to the public that local government can make progress on this issue with increased resources. There are competing priorities, especially when it comes to drainage, but our kids desperately need pre-k, and so do our parents, who are under pressure to be both caregiver and financial provider.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Every leader at the local, state, and federal levels should be working together to provide high-quality early childhood education to our young people. I will always shout from the rooftops about the enormous benefits of Head Start and pre-k, along with Medicaid, SNAP, public housing, and kids’ programming on PBS. As mayor, I will lead a broad intergovernmental relations effort with constant coordination between city leadership, the legislative delegation, and advocates. I don’t think anyone is listening, for now, but that can change. More broadly, this is why the mayoral election is so important. New Orleans needs to stand on its own two feet. No one is coming to rescue us, so we must be strong in the face of unprecedented economic, environmental, and political headwinds.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Child care providers will have a strong supporter in the mayor’s office when I am elected. Our city hall will serve as a hub, connecting needs and resources, with a focus on streamlining red tape for critical service providers, such as those offering child care. It is not enough to have more early childhood seats; we need quality. Even at current levels of local and state funding, pre-K early education programs exist in an environment where low wages are the norm and facilities are often in disrepair. The current climate at the state and federal levels may preclude additional funds. Yet, at the local level, as I mentioned earlier, is there anything more important than pre-k? We have demonstrated to the public that local government can make progress on this issue with increased resources.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

I will always advocate amongst employers and at the state level for a real-living wage that can provide for a family. In workplaces across New Orleans and at city hall, I see parents working double time, struggling to keep up due to a lack of child care. Part of the answer is more public school seats for children aged 6 months to 4 years old. For older kids, I want NORD to do more. A lot more. I have been a leader in expanding NORD’s budget to record highs. Now the goal is to maximize services during non-school hours. Summer enrichment is especially crucial to prevent any backslide. In short, I want to usher in a NORD Renaissance, especially after school. This would go a long way, especially for working parents who need a few more critical hours of support before they can leave work.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

Yes. I helped lead the effort for early childhood education with Agenda for Children, and I will commit to maintaining and protecting these early childhood investments. They were hard won, and we cannot lose them. If anything, we need an expansion, which will be the key subject of future budgets, which must balance ALL the city’s needs. The bottom line: we must support families, or else they will simply leave, and New Orleans will not have a future.

Oliver M. Thomas Jr.

Campaign Email: hello@otforus.com
Contact Phone Number: (504) 222-2453

Campaign Website and Social Media Handles

www.otforus.com  |  @otforus  |   YouTube: @OliverThomasNOLA

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

As Mayor, I will make early childhood education a permanent city priority. We’ll audit city spending to cut waste and redirect those savings into early learning seats for families who need them most. I’ll dedicate a fixed share of new revenues to early childhood and embed it in the city’s baseline budget, protecting it from being diverted to one-off projects. We’ll partner with employers, especially in hospitality and healthcare, to expand access through tax incentives and public-private partnerships. Finally, I’ll launch a Childcare Innovation Fund to blend public, philanthropic, and corporate dollars for facilities, workforce support, and innovative programs.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

One of the best ways to improve New Orleans is to strengthen relationships with state and federal partners. I’ve proven I can work across party lines to deliver results. As Mayor, I’ll expand the city’s Intergovernmental Affairs team, regularly meet with the Governor and our state delegation, and build coalitions with other cities. Ahead of each legislative session, we will clearly outline our early childhood funding priorities and rally support to protect and grow funding for families and providers in New Orleans.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

My vision is rooted in one truth: no one who works full-time should struggle to survive—especially those caring for our children. I will treat early childhood providers as essential small businesses by fully staffing and funding the Office of Economic Development and creating a one-stop Small Business Resource Center to help with permitting, capital, and technical support. We’ll also invest in facility upgrades and ensure educators can afford to stay in New Orleans through discounted housing, student loan relief, and homeownership support, strengthening both our workforce and our families.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

Childcare costs are forcing essential workers to leave jobs or turn down promotions, hurting families and our city’s services. I will champion an employer-supported childcare initiative, starting with city workers like first responders and extending to the private sector. We’ll partner with local providers to create affordable childcare options and leverage new state and federal tax incentives for businesses to contribute to employee childcare. By aligning city government, employers, and nonprofits, we can make quality childcare accessible and keep New Orleans’ workforce strong and stable.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

We will build a long-term plan for the Office of Youth & Families that is deeply tied to measurable outcomes. I will codify its mission into city law to protect it from political swings and establish a permanent advisory council of parents, providers, and community leaders. By demonstrating clear, data-driven impact, we’ll secure multi-year funding commitments and embed these priorities into the city’s budgeting process. This will ensure that investments in our youth and families endure far beyond my time as Mayor.

Richard Twiggs Jr

Campaign Email: info@twiggsformayor.com
Contact Phone Number: (504) 520-0480

Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
twiggsformayor.com  |   @rickytwiggsjr

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

Yes. New Orleans faces a $90M school funding shortfall that hurts early care most. I’ll leverage the Wisner Fund, which legally allows spending on education, to help close this gap. With the City now the main beneficiary, we have more flexibility to invest directly in our children. I’ll also tackle fairness in our millages: nonprofits don’t contribute to the drainage millage even though they benefit. Any new or restructured millage should combine drainage with a dedicated stream for education, ensuring sustainable funding for early childhood. Coupled with savings from city department consolidation and budget efficiencies, this approach guarantees that early care and education become a top priority for New Orleans’ future.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

As mayor, I will use my platform to push both the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding. New Orleans cannot shoulder this alone. I’ll advocate for restoring and expanding state allocations to match the need, press for federal grants that directly support local early learning, and ensure New Orleans is first in line for competitive programs like Head Start and preschool development funds. At home, I’ll align city priorities (like using Wisner funds, millage reform, and budget savings) to show we’re investing locally, strengthening our case for outside support. By building coalitions with other Louisiana mayors, educators, and business leaders, we can send a clear message: early childhood education is not optional; it’s the foundation.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

I will commit to ensuring our early care and education providers not only stay open but thrive. That means expanding dedicated city funding streams through Wisner allocations, fair millage reform, and savings from department consolidation. This way providers have stable resources. We’ll create a Child Care Business Accelerator within the Office of Economic Empowerment to help centers grow, access grants, and cut red tape. I’ll fight to secure living wages for teachers by tying public funding to workforce pay standards, while also exploring housing credits for educators so they can afford to live where they serve. Families will benefit from subsidies and predictable tuition support, ensuring early education is accessible and affordable.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

I’ll ensure essential workers, including city employees, can access affordable childcare. City Hall will lead by launching a childcare benefit program for employees, modeled after D.C.’s subsidy program, and by partnering with providers to expand non-traditional hour care like NYC’s pilot for first responders. For the private sector, I’ll push a childcare tax incentive for businesses that subsidize care, and require city contractors to outline childcare support for workers. Leveraging federal funds and building a city-business coalition like San Antonio’s Pre-K 4 SA, we can expand capacity, lower costs, and keep families in New Orleans.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

I will maintain and strengthen the Office of Youth & Families because coordinated investment in children is non-negotiable. Early childhood education works best when aligned with housing, healthcare, and workforce development, and this office is essential to that coordination. To protect these investments longterm, I’ll embed funding into recurring budget lines, not one off allocations, and tie outcomes to performance based budgeting so results drive resources. I’ll also pursue a charter amendment to safeguard dedicated funding streams for early childhood, ensuring future leaders cannot walk away. By institutionalizing accountability and protecting the Office’s role, we make youth and families a permanent citywide priority.

Matthew “Matt” Hill

Campaign Email: info@hill4neworleans.com

Contact Phone Number: (504) 484-9212

Campaign Website and Social Media Handles

www.hill4nola.com

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

After speaking to you I understand that to help you directly we need to streamline permitting and zoning so that you can get more facilities built.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

Yes.

I will certainly ask for more money on the state level and I will make sure that we do not take money away at the city level.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Yes, this is something that we need to focus on. When people talk about crime prevention, I guarantee you that this plays a factor. Your metrics on success and how things are executed ensures that we are not throwing our money away, that this is truly investing in our youth.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

Yes when we move to a lean government then it is certainly on the table. I would also like the Union to help fund this. In fact I will demand that they participate in this.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

Yes, I intend to shake things up throughout the government so that we can begin making our city more efficient. I will not do anything to those departments that will hinder any growth or ability to execute. I will streamline around those departments so that they can be more effective. And if there are alterations to that department that it is an Organic change that comes from within the department not from the outside.

Matthew Willard

Campaign Email: info@matthewwillard.com

Contact Phone Number: (504) 313-7441

Campaign Website and Social Media Handles

matthewwillard.com  |  @willard4nola

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

I firmly believe we need a financial and operation audit of the City budget before committing any additional dollars. That said, we have to increase funding to ECE programing here in New Orleans. These aren’t just dollars well spent, it’s an investment that pays back five fold and is the most crucial spend we can allocate to make a meaningful difference in our community.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

Yes.

I’ve been an advocate of ECE and LPIC throughout my tenure in the legislature, and will continue to be a powerful voice for ECE funding as a Councilmember at-Large. I’ve developed relationships with educational and business entities across the state. I will continue to take a leadership role in securing reliable, dedicated funding to ECE from the state by leveraging those relationships and working with other legislators and early education centers to impress up on decision-makers the importance of the work being done there!

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

First and foremost, we have an affordability crisis in this City that’s only being exacerbated by the harmful economic agenda being pushed forth by this presidential administration. I’ve tried to combat this by fighting to protect existing affordable housing, expand access through the Housing Trust Fund, and lower costs for homeowners with reforms like increasing the homestead exemption and reducing insurance premiums through fortified roofs, but it’s still not enough. I’d be willing to look into tax savings programs or credits for ECE providers. My concern with something like this though is that often the benefit is offset by the bureaucratic hurdles of getting the program in place. I’m always willing to work with providers to find creative solutions to this problem.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

I’ve always liked the idea of a public ECE center for city employees located near where they work. Of course, we need to clean our financial house and carefully examine feasibility and mechanics, but providing accessible early childhood education for city workers has always been a no-brainer to me. It was also something Mayor Cantrell spoke about during her first mayoral campaign that just never got real movement. I’d like to restart that conversation.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

I believe that the only way to make this office more permanent would be though either Council action creating it by way of ordinance or a Charter amendment. I think that’s an important conversation to have and I am inclined to support formalizing and establishing this office in a more permanent manner. But, again, I’d like to proceed deliberately and with a strong base of data and policy research to back up how we move forward on this.

Kenneth Cutno

Campaign Email: mrcutno@hotmail.com
Contact Phone Number: (225) 572-0364

Campaign Website and Social Media Handles:
KennethCutno.com

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

I will dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education. Access to high-quality early learning should not depend on a family’s income or waitlist number. Every child deserves a strong start in life, and every parent deserves the peace of mind that comes from knowing their child has a safe, nurturing place to learn. I will work to expand city funding to close the current gap and ensure that more infants and toddlers in New Orleans receive the early education they need.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

Yes.

I will use my platform and power to advocate at both the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding. New Orleans cannot do this alone — we need strong state and federal partners. I will work with the legislature, our congressional delegation, and advocacy organizations to ensure that state matching funds are renewed and that federal investments like Head Start are protected and expanded. Early childhood education is not just an expense; it is an investment in the long-term success of our city.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

I will commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, expand their programs, and pay their teachers a living wage. Many of these providers are women of color who have been holding our early education system together for decades, yet they are underpaid and under-supported. I will push for policies that provide grants, technical assistance, and infrastructure improvements so providers can grow their businesses, support their staff, and ensure affordability for families.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

I will commit to ensuring essential local workers, including city employees, first responders, and hospitality workers, can access affordable childcare. Our economy depends on them, and they should not have to choose between their job and their children. I will support employer-sponsored childcare partnerships and use city government as a model by expanding childcare access for our municipal workforce. I will also advocate for stronger private sector participation, leveraging new tax credits and incentives to ensure that all employers step up and support their workers’ childcare needs.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

I will commit to maintaining the Mayor’s Office of Youth & Families and protecting these investments. Early childhood education works best when it is coordinated with healthcare, housing, and workforce development. This office has played an important role in aligning services and making sure investments reach families most in need. I will not only protect it but also strengthen its role to ensure that children and families continue to thrive in New Orleans.

Gregory Manning

Campaign Email: info@manningforchange.com
Contact Phone Number: (225) 907-2029

Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
www.manning4change.com  |  @manning4change

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

I would look at using new sources of funds for early childhood education, such as the Wisner funds that the city recently regained control over, and reallocating funds wasted on frivolous expenses and poor planning. I would be interested in exploring options for a millage, however I do not want to increase the property tax burden on working families, so we’d have to evaluate existing millages as well, without depriving funds from other vital services.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

 

Yes.

I will always use my platform to advocate for my neighbors at any and all levels of government. I’m a bridge builder, not a bridge burner, so I feel confident in my ability to work with our state legislators and federal elected officials to deliver for our residents.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

I will ensure all educators earn a living wage, and beyond that, I will reduce their cost burdens by tackling high utility and housing costs that eat up far too large a share of educators’ paychecks.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

I would be interested in exploring childcare options at public buildings for public employees, and will work with my colleagues to make universal early childhood education a reality.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

We must ensure the Office of Youth & Families isn’t lost between mayoral administrations, as many good programs and initiative too often are. I will protect this office and its resources as a councilmember.

Holly Friedman

Campaign Email: hi@hollyfornola.com
Contact Phone Number: (504) 508-9777


Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
hollyfornola.com   |   @hollyfornola.com

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

I would prioritize expanding seats for infants and toddlers, supporting provider wages and quality, and ensuring equity by directing funds to underserved neighborhoods—building on the millage and state match with sustainable, recurring City budget support.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

Yes.

I will work with the Louisiana delegation and statewide coalitions to protect Head Start and expand state commitments, testify at legislative hearings, and build partnerships with mayors and councilmembers across Louisiana to push for renewed state investment and federal support.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

I will prioritize City budget support for provider wages and facility improvements, expand access to grants and low-interest loans for small childcare businesses, and advocate for policies that stabilize costs—so providers can thrive, families can afford care, and educators can afford to live in our city.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

I will support employer-sponsored childcare initiatives, leverage new state and federal tax credits to encourage private sector investment, and prioritize partnerships with local providers so that both public and private workers have reliable, affordable childcare options.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

I will work to embed these investments in the City’s recurring budget, strengthen cross-agency coordination, and build broad community and Council support so these efforts are sustained well beyond my term.

Aimee McCarron

Campaign Email:   aimee@aimeemccarron.com
Contact Phone Number:   (504) 442-0877


Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
www.aimeemccarron.com  |  @aimee4districta

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

As a mom of 6-year-old twins, I know how hard it is to find early childhood seats in the city – it is near impossible and when families struggle to find care, everything else becomes a struggle as well. The next administration and council need to work together on a five-year financial plan and work with the School Board on what it would cost to expand the number of seats to meet the needs. The other part of this is for people looking to open up childcare centers, we need to ensure our permitting process and licensing process are easy to understand and processed quickly in order to get new centers open for our kids.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

Yes.

Yes, this is an issue where the entire council, administration, and our legislators need to walk hand-in-hand to Baton Rouge to show a united front that we need this money and why. We also need to work with friendly legislators around the state to help them understand that this issue is not unique to New Orleans, but that their kids and families also suffer when this funding is not prioritized. We should connect with other councilmembers across the state and go to Washington as well and push for funding. We cannot do it alone, this must be a partnership and I will be glad to step-up and lead this effort of collaboration.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Our small businesses especially those providing childcare are such an integral part of our city and we need to ensure they have all the resources they need. Part of this includes making sure the basic city services are met so we actually are getting a quality of life we are paying for. Flooding/Drainage: I hear so many stories about our small business and schools and childcare centers having to shut down due to a little rainstorm that floods the area. This cannot keep happening – businesses need to be able to stay open and not have to worry about their property getting flooded. There are 3 drainage projects in the new bond proposition on the ballot in November and we must get these funded and working so we can protect our businesses and residents from flooding.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

Growing up, both of my parents worked so like most families, childcare was a must and they needed somewhere for me and my siblings to go. Luckily back then, the hospital where my mom worked, had a daycare in the hospital for employees! They even had a separate room for sick kids that had to stay out of school (not that I am advocating for this unless it is advised to be ok from health care experts!) but my point is that this care was available and allowed my parents the comfort of knowing we were safe and they were able to handle working. I would love if we could start with offering this care at City Hall for our city workforce – this could be the model for other employers to do the same and I believe the city SHOULD be the model. Safe, happy kids = happy and productive adults.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

Yes, I would maintain this office, but we need to ensure this office is working alongside the health department, workforce development office, office of community development, and the school board. This must have the level of coordination we need to have with our streets and infrastructure. Our kids are our future and we need to invest in them and we need to ensure all efforts are coordinated to provide the best care.

Alex Mossing

Campaign Email: alexfordistricta@gmail.com
Contact Phone Number: (504) 453-2563


Campaign Website and Social Media Handles:

alexfordistricta.com   |   @alexfordistricta

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

As a long time educator, I can easily identify even in 8th grade students who had access to high quality preschool. Funding universal early childhood creates the foundation necessary for high academic achievement, and therefore should be considered a component of economic development. Further, access to reliable childcare allows parents to stay engaged in the workforce. In this case, the money we allocate to early childhood programming will yield a strong return on investment in community benefits, and we should consider that as we look at budget priorities through an outcomes-focused lens.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

Yes.

I will use my experience as an educator in collaboration with our state and federal delegations to emphasize the importance of continuing to fund this program. This is true of our local state senators and representatives, but is also more important now than ever with Rep. Scalise, Sen. Cassidy, and Sen. Kennedy, all of whom have more influence under the current federal administration. I will partner with these leaders to advocate for the positive educational outcomes we have seen and the necessity of continuing this programming.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

If city council can find the funds to support families by providing payment subsidies and vouchers, this will help close the funding gap and continue to pay daycare service providers. Additionally, city council should offer incentives to providers including rent support, tax breaks for investing in facilities improvement, and loan forgiveness for providers seeking continuing education or formal degrees in early childhood fields.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

Our city is experiencing a drastic shortage of workers. If providing high quality affordable childcare helps us attract and retain a city workforce that allows us to provide adequate services, it will be a valuable investment. We can reallocate funds paid on outside contractors at higher rates than we would be in-house employees to help fund a childcare program for municipal employees.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

I am a firm believer in data-driven decision making. With continued investment and documented positive outcomes it will be straightforward to continue and expand this programming, both while I am in office and beyond my term. As a councilmember I intend to implement as much transparency as possible, and a key focus is a more collaborative budgeting process with city hall that focuses on not just allocations, but also following up on outcomes. Ideally, we will be able to demonstrate clear community benefits and economic improvements as we track the budget for these services, creating a clear case for their continued implementation and improvement.

Bob Murrell

Campaign Email :  electbobmurrell@gmail.com
Contact Phone Number:  (504) 417-4121

Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
https://bob4districta.com  |  @bob4districta

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

The City Seats program has potential but it hasn’t been built to scale up to something that can be provided universally, and I will ensure that we have the necessary budget available for scaling up the program to work towards universal coverage. Next we need to ensure pre-K programming that is city-funded is up to standards and funding is being spent correctly, and I will work to ensure budget season is year-round, not just once the mayor submits the proposed budget.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

Yes.

I believe elected offices should be used for popular education and advocacy, and will always use my platform to advocate for universal pre-K. That being said, we cannot become reliant on a hostile legislature and a federal government that wants to have a military occupation of our city. We have a $1.8 Billion budget, not including massive non-profits that don’t pay property taxes. The wealth and money is here, it’s not being spent on things that matter most. We must continue to find alternative revenue sources while advocating in Baton Rouge and Washington, and applying pressure thru organized constituencies advocating directly to their representatives.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

My mother worked at a pre-K in order to pay for her cancer treatments before she died, I understand the struggle that workers in early child care/education live through. I will ensure workplaces comply with the Workers Bill of Rights that was passed & hold owners accountable for safe workspaces & no retaliation for union organizing. OBES was created to help people you described. Instead they support industries that are extractive and oftentimes serve tourists & out-of-state investors than people that live & work here. I will ensure OBES is focused on supporting locally owned businesses run by historically marginalized & oppressed people, work towards establishing worker-owned cooperative businesses, and where possible, create city-owned facilities so workers have guaranteed livable wages.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

I would ask that United Way SELA start releasing more of the tens of millions of funds that they’ve collected from City Council’s Harrahs/Cox fund to support child care costs for city employees. We are spending public dollars without any public input. I will create a participatory budget where individuals, groups, and organizations can submit proposals (like child care scholarships) that can in turn be voted on by the public so they can spend their tax dollars where they need it. Further, we can amend the Workers’ Bill of Rights in the City Charter to include a right to child care benefits that will need to be enforced. We must ensure City workers via AFSCME can bargain for child care benefits as well.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

Investing in our youth is my first platform plank, and there are multiple ways to continue. As mentioned before, a participatory budget empowers the people to fund what they want to fund with City dollars, including programming for the Office of Youth & Families. Next, we can continue to have dedicated funding enshrined in our city charter similar to the housing trust fund and public defender’s office. This will, however, require a City Council comprised of people who actually execute these demands, and I will champion funding youth programming and family services for the budget.

Eliot Barron

Campaign Email:  eliot.s.barron@gmail.com
Contact Phone Number:   (504) 701-1541

Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
@eliot.s.barron

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

As I understand it, the Orleans Parish School Board is reduced to a handful of its own schools. If the charter system and state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education aren’t meeting our civic needs in terms of early childhood education, there is still an area ripe for growth.

With a vehicle for investment as obvious as an underutilized school system, it might be the best way to prioritize and expand access for working families.

My wife works full time and our toddler would benefit from a subsidized seat but is not served by a lack of funding. And we weren’t even verified. My contribution to the City’s ongoing budget disputes would be to try to reconcile millage monies, matching funds and a lack of funding. I encourage OPSB to continue property management goals and take on children.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

Yes.

I will use my power to legislate municipal policies and regulate recipients of city funds. I will sponsor and support efforts to keep our programs open. I will use my platform to advocate for sustained early childhood education funding.

I believe in community and individual responsibilities and think that we might demonstrate our commitment to early childhood in the face of a federal administration which would defund these programs from a lack of commitment to efficiency. Kids are nothing if not efficient.

There is value in teaching the youth. If there was no money to be made it wouldn’t cost so much to get so little in terms of what we pay for education and what we get by way of educational attainment. We need to tap into those resources and see to the business of not wasting minds.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Let me begin by being clear, I am open to suggestions. Solutions to long standing difficulties with cost of living and quality of life realities are sadly not as simple as wishful thinking. That said, it happily starts with wishful thinking. We have to manifest our dreams.

I am committed to incentivizing providers to keep their doors open. I will work with the Public Service Commission to hold Entergy accountable for affordable and renewable utilities.

Small business growth depends on technical support and financial competence and will always benefit from time, money and attention.

Community based economics is a key value of Green Party politics.

In addition to raising pay for sustainable wages for hourly workers and promoting benefits for them, I will explore basic income for all.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

Winning hearts and minds begins with education. I will use my position to emphasize the importance of childcare to families with working parents and the economy that depends on them.

Illuminating the expense and the cost of a lack of investment might well lead to an understanding of the value and return on investment where reliable childcare is concerned. I will work closely with employers and employees to find common ground and opportunities for expanded and accessible, reliable childcare.

Working overtime and getting promoted are ways that workers can try to get ahead or make savings or otherwise achieve financial stability or what have you. Having more than one child is a financial calculus that in and of itself is intimidating. Forget it. The state is as family oriented as my foot.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

Solidifying understanding, care and commitment to caring in the peoples’ collective mind will be essential to ensuring that efforts to nurture youth and adults are sustained beyond my term and prioritized in future budgets.

It will be on me and other council members to sponsor and support legislation that promotes investment and protects coordinating agencies in the effective alignment of services and served populations. This level of planning and execution should have a lasting effect and build on the last seven years. We should be think along the lines of seven generations, so let that be a standard to achieve. The office of youth and families, the school board, the recreation department development commission and the health department – among others- must work together to succeed now.

Kelsey Foster

Campaign Email : info@leadwithkelsey.com
Contact Phone Number:  (504) 408-1719

Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
leadwithkelsey.com  |  @leadwithkelsey

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

Expanding access to early care and education is one of the smartest investments the city can make. It directly supports working families, prepares children for success, and strengthens our economy. I will work to ensure that the City budget dedicates additional resources to early learning, with a focus on serving the youngest children and eliminating long waitlists for subsidized seats.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

Yes.

New Orleans has shown national leadership in early childhood education, but we cannot sustain this progress without strong state and federal partnerships. As a Councilmember, I will actively advocate for continued and increased funding at both levels, working with other cities, advocates, and parents to make sure Louisiana doesn’t walk back the progress our children and families deserve.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Early childhood educators—most of whom are women of color—are the backbone of this system, yet too many are underpaid and operating on razor-thin margins. I will support policies that provide stable funding, capital improvements, and workforce supports so providers can thrive, teachers can earn a living wage, and families can continue to afford high-quality care.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

Childcare is essential infrastructure, and without it, workers across every sector—from hospitality to first responders—struggle to remain in the workforce. I will support expanding employer-sponsored childcare, starting with city employees, and use the city’s platform to encourage and incentivize private employers to provide similar support. This investment helps families, strengthens our workforce, and grows our economy.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

Yes. The Office of Youth & Families plays a critical role in coordinating services and ensuring city investments in children and families are effective and aligned. I will commit to maintaining this office, protecting these investments, and working across agencies so that early education is supported by housing, healthcare, and workforce development programs.

Belden Batiste

Campaign Email: batistebelden421@gmail.com
Contact Phone Number: (504) 259-3766


Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
 www.beldenbatiste.com

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

I would dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education. Early learning is one of the best investments we can make in our children, families, and the future of New Orleans. I would prioritize this funding by ensuring it is treated as an essential service, not an afterthought, placing it alongside public safety, housing, and infrastructure as a core budget priority. I would also work to leverage partnerships with the state, philanthropic organizations, and the business community to maximize every dollar. My goal is to make sure that no child is left waiting for a seat and that families have the support they need during these critical early years.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

Yes.

I will use my platform as a councilmember to advocate strongly at both the state and federal levels for sustained and expanded early childhood funding. New Orleans cannot afford to lose the progress we’ve made, and our families deserve consistent, reliable access to high-quality early learning opportunities. I will work in partnership with state legislators, federal representatives, and local advocates to push for renewed commitments and long-term investments that protect and grow funding streams. Our children’s future must remain a top priority, and I will not let funding shortfalls erase the progress our city has achieved.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

If elected, I will work to ensure our early care and education providers, especially women of color who form the backbone of this system have the support they need to thrive. That means fighting for fair wages for teachers, investing in facility improvements, reducing administrative burdens, and identifying city resources and partnerships that can help providers stay open and grow. I will also advocate for policies that keep costs manageable for families, so educators and parents alike can continue to live and work in New Orleans while providing our children with the high quality early education they deserve.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

I will work to ensure essential workers are including city employees, hospitality workers, and first responders have reliable access to affordable childcare through local providers. Our city cannot function without them, and childcare must not be a barrier to their service or economic stability. I will collaborate with private sector employers to expand employer, sponsored childcare programs and make use of the new state and federal tax credits available. By aligning city resources, employer incentives, and partnerships with providers, we can create a system where families can thrive, workers can stay in their jobs, and our local economy can grow stronger.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

I will commit to maintaining the Office of Youth & Families and protecting the critical investments it helps coordinate. This office plays a vital role in aligning early childhood education, healthcare, housing, and workforce development so that our children and families receive the comprehensive support they need to succeed. I will ensure its work continues across administrations, with the resources and accountability necessary to strengthen outcomes for our youngest residents and their families.

Leilani Heno

Campaign Email: henofornola@gmail.com
Contact Phone Number: (504) 656-4101

Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
– WDSU Hot Seat Debate
– My Budget Views
– Instagram
– Facebook
– 2 min Video About Workable Solutions

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

Prioritize funds, don’t just add spending: Redirect or better manage existing resources for maximum impact. Efficiency and accountability can free up funds without raising taxes.

Leverage multiple funding streams: Combine city budget allocations with state programs like LA B‑3, federal grants, and public-private partnerships. This reduces the burden on the city alone.

Self-sustaining systems: Invest in programs that create long-term benefits, like workforce participation and reduced social costs so funding pays for itself over time.

Pilot programs first: Start with targeted investments (e.g., prioritize up to 3 children per family, with additional cases reviewed individually) to demonstrate impact before full-scale expansion.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

Yes.

I’ll push for sustained early childhood funding at the local, state, and federal levels. Locally, I’ll protect voter-approved funds; at the state level, I’ll push programs like LA B‑3; federally, I’ll advocate for grants that support under-resourced providers.

Creating self-sustaining systems are key to my platform. City programs will prioritize up to 3 children per family, with additional needs reviewed case by case, ensuring every investment strengthens families, grows our workforce, and boosts our economy.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Early care and education is critical for families, workforce stability, and our economy. I will expand city partnerships with local providers and prioritize up to 3 children per family, with additional needs reviewed case by case. Providers will get practical support including technical assistance, access to funding, and partnerships to reduce costs so they can pay living wages, maintain facilities, and grow sustainably. By combining local, state, and federal resources, we will build self-sustaining systems that strengthen families, workforce participation, and New Orleans’ economy.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

Childcare is economic infrastructure, not a luxury. If elected, I will expand partnerships between the city and local childcare providers so essential workers, including city employees, have reliable and affordable options. I’ll push for city contracts and workforce programs to include childcare access for up to 3 children per family, with additional needs reviewed on a case-by-case basis. I’ll also encourage private employers to step up through partnerships and incentives.

With my business background, I know that without childcare, productivity drops and retention suffers. Access to childcare keeps our workforce strong, helps parents stay employed, and strengthens our economy while ensuring every family has a fair shot at stability.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

I will treat early childhood investments as long-term priorities, not one-time spending. By embedding funding into the city budget with accountability and measurable outcomes, coordinating departments, and aligning with state and federal programs like LA B‑3, we can ensure these programs continue beyond any single administration. With my business experience, I know how to create efficient, sustainable systems that grow over time and provide families the support they need long after my term ends.

Rev. Richard Bell

Campaign Email: richard.bell@cox.net
Contact Phone Number: (504) 909-6144

Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
Facebook page is Richard S. Bell Sr.

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

Amendment to increase early child development daycare

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

Yes.

I will be an advocate for child care

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

All teachers need a better pay

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

I will have amendments to the charter

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

Bring everyone to the table and come and work together with a plan to benefit everyone

Danyelle Christmas

Campaign Email : danyelle4districte@gmail.com
Contact Phone Number: (504) 498-7794


Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
Www.Danyelle4districtE.com

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

We have to allocate the money we have and put it towards education. Making sure education is thought of first.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

Yes.

Yes, we must advocate for our kids so I would stand with them.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Yes! Although we can’t do anything about wages we can teach teacher or any other occupation how to unionize.

But creating tax incentives to help the early childhood businesses that way they are not paying so much in rent. But creating a rent cap that reflects the district

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

I answered this question in the previous question

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

By working with community based organizations making sure they are showing up if my term is over. That they are advocating for our children. I will stay involve with community based organizations making sure policies doesn’t get over looked.

Cyndi Nguyen

Campaign Email: cyndinguyen4districte@gmail.com
Contact Phone Number: (504) 415-4905

Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
www.vote4cyndi.org

@thecyndinguyen  |  @cyndinguyen8

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

Yes. If elected, I will make early care and education a top budget priority, like I did when I was in office from 2018-2022, because investing in our children is investing in the future of New Orleans. The millage passed in 2022 was a crucial step forward, but the current gap—over 1,300 children without access to subsidized seats—shows we still have work to do. I will advocate for expanding city budget allocations, leverage state and federal partnerships, and collaborate with community stakeholders to ensure every child, especially infants and toddlers, has the opportunity to access high-quality early learning.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

Yes.

Yes. If elected, I will actively use my platform to advocate at both the state and federal levels for sustained and increased early childhood funding. New Orleans has demonstrated that when we invest in our youngest learners, we strengthen families, create economic stability, and build a stronger future workforce. But without consistent state and federal support, we risk losing the progress we’ve made. I will work closely with other city leaders, school systems, community partners, and advocacy organizations to push for renewed state investment and to protect critical federal programs like Head Start. Our children deserve stable, high-quality early education opportunities, and I am committed to being their voice in every policy discussion.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Yes. If elected, I will commit to supporting our early care and education providers, who are the backbone of our city’s workforce and economy. These small businesses—mostly led by women of color—deserve the resources to keep their doors open, expand their impact, and pay living wages to the educators shaping our children’s future. I will push for city investments, public-private partnerships, and innovative financing tools to help providers upgrade facilities, stabilize operations, and remain affordable for families. Supporting providers means supporting working parents, growing our economy, and ensuring that both families and educators can continue to live and thrive in New Orleans.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

Yes. If elected, I will commit to ensuring that essential workers—including those in city government—have access to affordable, high-quality childcare through local providers. Our city cannot thrive if the very people who keep it running—first responders, hospitality workers, and public servants—are forced to choose between their jobs and their families. I will support partnerships with local providers, expand employer-sponsored childcare programs, and leverage state and federal tax credits to incentivize private sector employers to contribute their fair share. By making childcare accessible and affordable, we not only strengthen families but also boost productivity, reduce turnover, and support a stronger local economy.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

Yes. If elected, I will commit to maintaining the Office of Youth & Families and protecting the investments that have been built with such strong community support. This office has proven to be a vital hub for coordinating services—connecting early childhood education with healthcare, housing, and workforce development—to ensure families receive the support they need to thrive. Sustaining this alignment is essential for improving outcomes for our children and building a healthier, more resilient New Orleans. I will work to strengthen the office’s role, ensure it has the resources it needs, and keep children and families at the center of city policy.

Willie Morgan

Campaign Email : williefordistricte@gmail.com
Contact Phone Number: (504) 901-3984


Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
https://www.williemorganfordistricte.com/

Facebook: Willie Morgan, Willie Morgan for District E
Instagram: @Williefordistricte

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

Yes, I would dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education. While we must remain mindful of overall budget constraints, early childhood education is one of the most impactful investments we can make in our community. I would prioritize funding for expanding access to high-quality programs for infants and toddlers, particularly for families who are currently unable to secure a subsidized seat, while ensuring that these programs are efficiently managed and accountable to the public.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

Yes.

Yes, if elected, I will use my platform to advocate for sustained early childhood education funding at the state and federal levels. I will engage legislators, partner with advocacy groups, educate the public, and monitor funding gaps to ensure New Orleans children continue to have access to high-quality early learning programs.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Yes, I am committed to supporting early care providers so they can sustain their businesses, pay living wages, and help families and educators afford to live in New Orleans. I will advocate for increased funding, support workforce development, promote affordable housing, and provide resources to strengthen women-of-color-led childcare centers.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

Yes, I am committed to ensuring essential local workers have access to quality childcare. I will work with city government and private employers to expand employer-sponsored programs, leverage state and federal incentives, and partner with local providers to ensure sufficient capacity and sustainable operations. These efforts will help employees stay in their jobs, grow professionally, and support a stronger local economy.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

To sustain these efforts beyond my term, I will prioritize these programs in the City budget, advocate for multi-year funding commitments, and work to institutionalize best practices that align early childhood education, healthcare, housing, and workforce development. I will also engage community stakeholders and partner organizations to ensure long-term accountability and continued support for these critical investments.

Gavin M. Richard

Campaign Email: gavinrichard@icloud.com
Contact Phone Number: (504) 289-4002


Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
www.electgavin.org
– IG: elect_g_for_district_e
– FB: Elect Gavin Richard for District E

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

In full transparency, my platform for District E has been to push for economic development and infrastructure. The area has been a grocery and food desert for over twenty years. However, without an education, a child is not going anywhere.

I am dedicated to the education and development of our next generation. As such, it would be a priority to allocate funds for education and child care in schools located in the Lower Ninth Ward and New Orleans East.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

Yes.

I would advocate. Essentially, I’d be open to building lasting relationships with state and federal leaders/representatives, and push for the funding that we need for Early Childhood Education. It may also be helpful that we can outsource to private individuals for resources and funding as well.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

I would work with those providers and see what their needs are. I’m always going to support economic growth and development, so certainly, I’d show my support with them.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

We have to have oversight on private sector employers in our area. Of course, I would advocate for our local workers, who are putting in extra time and effort to advance our city, but they are parents first. We have to keep that in mind. I believe the best way to ensure our employees are not only productive, but have access to childcare, is by the establishment of a committee with local childcare advocates.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

Vote in their favor at city council meetings. Work with community activists and advocates to establish a sub-committee to oversee these investments and alignments for years to come.

Jonathan-Anthony Roberts

Campaign Email: jonathananthonyroberts85@gmail.com
Contact Phone Number: (504) 919-7462


Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
 JARoberts4DistrictE.org

Facebook  |  @JARlistens

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?  If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Yes.

I will prioritize early childhood education as one of the first investments in the city budget because it touches every part of our future; education, workforce, and public safety. I would treat it as core infrastructure, not an optional expense. That means protecting existing millage funds, increasing city allocations where possible, and tying new revenue streams like economic development dollars, tourism revenue, or public-private partnerships directly to early care and education. For me, this is a top-tier budget priority because when we invest early in our children, we reduce costs later in remediation, incarceration, and unemployment.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this?

Yes.

I will take a hands-on approach to advocating for sustained early childhood funding. That means working with our state legislative delegation to push for renewed and expanded state investments, testifying at the Legislature and in Congress when federal funds are at risk, and using the Council’s platform to pass resolutions that publicly demand action. I will partner with advocacy organizations like the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children and United Way to amplify the voices of families and providers. I will also lead a coalition of local officials across Louisiana’s largest cities to present a united front in Baton Rouge, showing that this issue is bigger than New Orleans; it is about the future of our state.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city?  If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

I will push for increased city grants to support early childhood providers with operational costs like rent, insurance, and facility upgrades. I will work to expand public–private partnerships that provide capital improvements and business training for childcare entrepreneurs, most of whom are women of color. I will advocate for wage supplements and workforce development programs so teachers are paid a living wage and can see childcare as a long-term profession, not a short-term job. Finally, I will align city contracts and incentives to reward businesses that invest in childcare access for their workers, creating stability for both families and providers.

With my business background, I know that without childcare, productivity drops and retention suffers. Access to childcare keeps our workforce strong, helps parents stay employed, and strengthens our economy while ensuring every family has a fair shot at stability.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

I will work to codify early childhood funding and the Office of Youth & Families into city ordinance, so these investments are protected no matter who is in office. I will push for recurring, dedicated revenue streams that cannot be easily redirected, and tie them to accountability measures that require annual public reporting. I will also build partnerships with community organizations and advocacy groups to keep public pressure on future leaders to prioritize early childhood. By embedding these commitments into law, budgets, and community expectations, we ensure that this work outlasts one administration and remains a permanent priority for the city.