Should the New Orleans Levee Authority receive another police budget increase in 2026?

The levee authority plans another police budget increase in 2026 to hire more officers and raise pay, citing infrastructure protection and storm-related security needs. Rising personnel costs are a major factor, but the move is facing scrutiny over spending priorities and the pace of the force’s expansion. Peter Vicari, Head of the New Orleans Levee Authority, joins Newell to justify the increase.