New Orleans Saves $8 Million in Overtime Costs

Mayor Helena Moreno says closer oversight has reduced unnecessary overtime spending by city workers.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 12:21pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno announced that the city has saved $8 million in overtime costs during the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year. Moreno attributed the savings to closer monitoring of overtime spending by city workers, stating that people are "a lot more careful about the spending" when the mayor's office is closely tracking every dollar.

Why it matters

Overtime pay has historically been a major budget strain for the city of New Orleans, contributing to the city blowing through its budget in the year before Moreno took office. The mayor's efforts to rein in unnecessary overtime spending represent an important step toward fiscal responsibility and sustainable budgeting for the city.

The details

According to Moreno, the city has seen an $8 million reduction in overtime costs in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. The mayor believes that simply maintaining closer oversight and scrutiny of overtime spending has led city workers to be more careful and judicious in their use of overtime hours.

  • In the first quarter of 2026, New Orleans saw an $8 million reduction in overtime costs compared to the first quarter of 2025.

The players

Helena Moreno

The mayor of New Orleans who has implemented closer tracking of overtime spending by city workers.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“What we're seeing is that in the first quarter of this year, compared to the first quarter of last year, we're seeing about an eight million dollar reduction in overtime alone.”

— Helena Moreno, Mayor of New Orleans

“It's when you are really manning the store, when you're really checking on how every dollar's spent, the people are a lot more careful about the spending.”

— Helena Moreno, Mayor of New Orleans

What’s next

Mayor Moreno has indicated that the city will continue to closely monitor overtime spending while also exploring ways to generate new recurring revenue or reduce other expenses.

The takeaway

New Orleans' efforts to rein in unnecessary overtime costs represent a significant step toward fiscal responsibility and sustainable budgeting for the city. By closely tracking overtime spending, the mayor's office has been able to drive down these costs, freeing up funds for other priorities.