In the two decades since Hurricane Katrina, the Business Council has provided candidates for Mayor and City Council with an issues-based policy agenda to drive government’s continuous improvement in key performance areas. The purpose of this exercise is threefold: (1) to reinforce the necessity of a principled policymaking process that consistently reaches for higher standards of efficiency, effectiveness, transparency, accountability and fiduciary stewardship in local government; (2) to convey the host of policy objectives elected officials and business leaders should collaboratively pursue; and (3) to establish a basis for holding elected officials accountable for their achievement of critical policy priorities.
We now release this agenda as part of our ongoing conversation with major candidates about areas of alignment. Ultimately, we will ask each candidate to sign a pledge of support for the entire agenda or, absent full support, a pledge to support certain of its subparts with a statement of the areas and reasons for disagreement.
A candidate’s pledge in support of our agenda represents a commitment to engage with the Business Council—if elected—to advance the agenda’s policy goals. We will keep our members informed on progress and regularly evaluate opportunities for further collaboration to achieve these goals. Our policy agenda will continue to evolve to reflect emerging issues and opportunities for greater impact, always with the aim of fostering more effective local government. We will clearly communicate any updates to ensure ongoing alignment and collaboration.
