The Democrat mayor of New Orleans is refusing to reimburse the almost $30,000 of taxpayer money she has spent upgrading flights to first class or business class, despite city policy — after she insisted it was for her safety as a black woman.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell told local reporters Thursday she won’t fork over the exorbitant fees she charged for the upgraded tickets, including an $18,000 first-class trip to France over the summer.
Since January 2021, Cantrell has charged the city of New Orleans $29,000 to travel first- or business-class instead of coach, The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate reported.
“All expenses incurred doing business on behalf of the city of New Orleans will not be reimbursed to the city of New Orleans,” she insisted, according to WWL.
“One thing is clear: I do my job, and I will continue to do it with distinction and integrity every step of the way. That’s what I have to say on that.”
Her defiance goes against the city’s travel policy, which states that New Orleans municipal workers must select the cheapest fight — or pay back the difference.
“Employees are required to purchase the lowest airfare available… Employees who choose an upgrade from coach, economy, or business class flights are solely responsible for the difference in cost,” the policy reads, according to WWL.
“Any reconciliation of travel expenses that results in overpayment by the City requires that the employee reimburse the City within twenty business days,” it continues.
However, Cantrell’s chief administrative officer Gilbert Montaño told the Times-Picayune it’s unclear if the reimbursement policy actually applies to elected officials.
Her administration is questioning whether Cantrell is required to abide by the travel policy as an elected official like rank-and-file employees must, the newspaper reported.
Meanwhile, Cantrell last month defended the sky-high amount of taxpayer dollars she spent on herself by claiming it was all about her safety — and not luxury.
“As all women know, our health and safety are often disregarded and we are left to navigate alone,” she told the Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate in August.
“As the mother of a young child whom I live for, I am going to protect myself by any reasonable means in order to ensure I am there to see her grow into the strong woman I am raising her to be,” she continued.
“Anyone who wants to question how I protect myself just doesn’t understand the world Black women walk in.”
On one occasion, Cantrell’s flights cost nine times that of an aide who accompanied her but flew in coach, the local newspaper reported.
The $18,000 return trip to France over the summer was to sign an agreement on an existing partnership with a small city on the Mediterranean Sea.
The democrat’s doubling-down comes as a new poll shows strong support for her recall.
