New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu is set to end his second term Monday after 8 years in charge of the Crescent City. Landrieu guided the city through a tumultuous post Katrina recovery period, but political analyst Clancy DuBos says nationally he’ll be most remembered for his part in the removal of the confederate monuments to Robert E Lee, Jefferson Davis, and PT Beauregard.
Dubos says, "The monuments issue was something that I think years from now will be a positive thing, and history will judge him very favorably for that."
Despite reports indicating he would be interested, Landrieu says he does not currently plan on running for president in 2020.
New Orleans has suffered frequent, and often crippling floods from routine rainstorms during the latter half of Landrieu’s stewardship. DuBos says the failure of the Sewage and Water Board will weigh on his legacy.
Dubos says, "When the Sewage and Water Board issue arose, he responded by bringing in some experts although it will be remembered that the issue happened happened on his watch."
The city’s finances were a wreck after the now imprisoned former Mayor Ray Nagin’s tenure. DuBos says Landrieu was able to address that problem, but it came at a cost.
Dubos says, "He balanced the city's budget which is a tremendous accomplishment because he inherited a 97 million dollar hole in the budget from Ray Nagin, but he balanced that budget on the back of police recruiting."
Mayor-Elect Latoya Cantrell will replace Landrieu.