S&P Slashes New Orleans' Credit Rating On "Structurally Imbalanced Operations"
New Orleans, home to Mardi Gras and muffulettas, has been governed by Democrats for decades, so it should come as little surprise that S&P Global Ratings has slashed the city's obligation rating to the third-lowest level of investment grade and placed it on a negative outlook.
S&P Global Ratings cut New Orleans' general obligation rating by one notch to BBB+ with a negative outlook, citing structurally imbalanced finances, shrinking reserves, and growing reliance on one-time desperate measures to meet cash needs.
"The downgrade and negative outlook reflect the city's structurally imbalanced operations, declining reserves and liquidity, and need to rely on multiple one-time measures to meet short-term cash needs, including additional borrowing for operating liquidity," S&P Global Ratings analysts Alex Louie and Sarah Sullivant wrote in the report.
The downgrade serves as a warning of worsening fiscal strain, with the city projecting a $160 million deficit in fiscal 2025 and continuing to rely on stopgap measures, including borrowing to maintain operating liquidity, tapping external funds, and maintaining hiring freezes and furloughs.
The analysts continued, "Despite these measures, we believe the city still faces substantial challenges in achieving those goals and has a history of management projections not meeting actual audited results."
In February, Moody's downgraded the city's credit rating by two notches to the bottom of investment grade and warned investors about risks to future bond sales amid a budget crisis.
New Orleans' rapidly deteriorating credit profile comes as no surprise, given that Democrats have governed the metro area for a generation.
Here is the list of the mayors:
Helena Moreno, 2026 to present, Democrat
LaToya Cantrell, 2018 to 2026, Democrat
Mitch Landrieu, 2010 to 2018, Democrat
Ray Nagin, 2002 to 2010, Democrat, after previously switching from the Republican Party
Marc Morial, 1994 to 2002, Democrat
Sidney Barthelemy, 1986 to 1994, Democrat
Ernest N. Morial, 1978 to 1986, Democrat
Moon Landrieu, 1970 to 1978, Democrat
S&P Global Ratings analysts noted that although the city expects balanced operations in 2027, "given the city's significant budget and operational challenges, achieving structural balance could take longer."
For some history, the last Republican mayor of New Orleans was Benjamin Flanders, who served from 1870 to 1872.