Slater McKay: New council looks more fiscally conservative, less cohesive

In his latest blog post for 225, Slater McKay reflects on what has happened within the Metro Council in recent weeks. Along with four new members being sworn in on the council, a new parish budget was approved by the 12-member board, which selected Chandler Loupe to be the new mayor pro tem. Although Mayor Kip Holden and council members themselves have emphasized the need for a more amicable spirit of cooperation among them, McKay says the new council may have more internal problems than external. “While the council of the last few years has been largely defined by its relationship with the mayor, the current council (at least based on the first meeting) seems to have some degree of internal conflict. During the first council meeting, there seemed to be quite a few 7-5 votes, largely split down a divide based on race, gender, and party affiliation,” he says. McKay also predicts that Loupe’s greatest challenge as mayor pro tem “is going to be internal rather than external,” adding, “The council, if nothing else, appears to be more fiscally conservative than past councils.” Read the full blog post here.