Hey comrades!

This Thursday, the City Council will receive updates on Entergy's performance and operations, including their business plans, costs passed on to customers, and more - including the sale of its gas network to a private equity chop-shop, Berhard Capital, that sees big money in minimizing maintenance, labor, and efficiency and maximizing use of fossil fuels and costs to customers. This is a critical opportunity to make your voice heard: no gas sale, and debt relief now!

We need as many of you to turn out to the City Council meeting this Thursday, July 11, starting 10am at City Hall (1300 Perdido St.) to show the City Council that we're building our strength and won't go away until we Make Entergy Pay once and for all.

Here are some talking points to keep in mind, whether you make it in-person or are commenting online (Item is Consent 01 - the first on the list):

Entergy admitted to disconnecting nearly one in five residents who were unable to afford their power bills.
Private equity firms make money by firing workers, cutting corners and raising prices
Bernhard has indicated that they intend to expand the use of gas, a fossil fuel the city must phase out to meet climate goals.
New Orleans residents don't need or serve another utility bill to worry about.
The Council must relieve the utility debt burden on residents by putting FERC settlement money into an arrearage and debt management program, administered independent of Entergy.
The Council must act to forgive all debt to Entergy, end utility disconnections for nonpayment, and stop profitable companies like Entergy and Berhard from passing fees onto customers.

HATE AIRBnB? SOME OTHER KEY ISSUES TO COMMENT ON AT THIS CITY COUNCIL MEETING:

The Council is also considering exempting several properties from its new short-term rental (STR) restrictions to allow landlords to turn more homes into hotels for tourists. We ask that you also leave several additional comments on the following items to oppose all exemptions to STR restrictions. Just comment "I don't want any more STRs in my city. Homes are for people to live in, not for tourists" on the following Items: Regular 12, Regular 13, Regular 14a, Regular 15, Regular 16, Regular 17, Regular 18a, Regular 19, Regular 20a, Regular 21, Regular 22, Regular 23, Regular 24, Regular 25, Regular 26, and Regular 27. You'll have to submit a new comment for each item.

UPCOMING DSA EVENTS:

TONIGHT 6PM @ PARISH HALL (2533 Columbus): Homeless Encampment Sweep Legal Observer’s Training

The city has been escalating its violence against people experiencing homelessness, especially those living in encampments, in the city for several months. In response to the city’s illegal violence against our city’s unhoused residents, we are holding another Unhoused Encampment Sweep Legal Observation Training. Join us 6pm at Parish Hall (2533 Columbus St) to learn best practices on how to monitor the police and other city agents who have been unlawfully dismantling and discarding unhoused people’s personal property throughout the city.

This event will be hosted by the Louisiana National Lawyer’s Guild, New Orleans DSA, Renters Rights Assembly, Southern Solidarity, and Let Us Not Forget. All are welcome, however, we are specifically inviting individuals who would be available to volunteer for observation shifts on weekday mornings. Message Wash on Slack with any questions.

Questions or comments? Message us on social media or email us at [email protected]!

Thank you & hope to see y'all soon!

Solidarity forever,
New Orleans Local Council