LaToya Cantrell Sworn In As New Orleans First Female Mayor

LaToya Cantrell takes over New Orleans today after 8 years of Mitch Landrieu holding the reigns. Political Analyst Clancy DuBos says the former city council member’s leadership style is more of mystery than her predecessor who was known statewide after serving as Lt. Governor.

“She’s more of a question mark than Landrieu was because Landrieu had been in public office for a long time before he became mayor. I think expectations were higher for Landrieu.”

Cantrell takes over a city with big issues to tackle, but a more stable budget and economy than it had eight years ago. DuBos says she’ll have three big challenges right out of the gate that need to be addressed.

“Infrastructure, in terms of streets, I think management at the Sewage and Water Board is going to be a big issue and of course crime, hopefully getting the response time down.”

Cantrell arrives in office with a potential major scandal in the making. District Attorney Jeff Landry is investigating the former city council member for potential misuse of a city credit card. DuBos says it’s an investigation that casts a pall not just over her, but many city officials.

“What we do know from the Attorney General is that it is not limited to Latoya Cantrell, it is expanded, as it should, to everyone who had a city issued credit card.”