Norman White has been appointed by Mayor Cantrell to be the Chief Financial Officer (CFO )for the City. This is a position most of us have never even heard of or thought about. But it is a powerful job, advising on our tax dollars and all spending matters. (Despite many phone calls to city agencies, his salary remains undisclosed).
White comes to us as the twice former CFO of Detroit, under two discredited Mayor’s. He was also the former head of the Detroit Department of Transportation who was sued over illegal or excessive parking tickets and fines. Oops, watch out!
According to the lawsuit, the city of Detroit has issued about 300,000 parking tickets annually over the last three years, during which the city implemented a high-tech, $3.5 million meter system that accepts cash, credit cards and smartphone payments. The new system generated $13 million in 2015 alone, 30% more than the year before — but the lawsuit says this money is being made illegally.
At his appointment, Mayor Cantrell said of Norman White, “He helped right the ship there during a challenging time.” This is disturbing. Recently, Detroit has cut off thousands of people’s water, and this is not the first time. Tens of thousands have lost their homes and schools were closed. Why? Detroit, during White’s tenure, was under state control, depriving the people of the city from any say in their budget and policies. The state authorized the city receiving millions in loans from the big banks. In exchange, the banks demanded austerity and cuts to all social services. It was a dictatorship of the banks. Norman White’s job was to ensure that these cuts went through and the banks got their tax-free interest payments. Millions are suffering. Norman White may be good for the bankers and developers but not the working class.
CRIMINAL “INJUSTICE” COMMISIONER
Another disturbing appointment is Tenisha Stevens as Criminal Justice Commissioner. She was the deputy chief of investigations for Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro who has shown himself an arrogant, law breaking racist who is responsible for continuing mass incarceration. Recently, his office issued phony subpoenas and arrested domestic violence victims to force them to testify. We need someone who is working to keep people out of jail, not put them in. Stevens, as Cannizzaro’s Deputy Chief, is not the one we need.