Horizon Initiative making N.O. The City of YES!

Dear Horizon Initiative Board Members and Friends:

This update comes as a call to stay engaged and stay focused. It is important for you to understand that the New Orleans business community and City Council have thus far come together in historic unanimity and support for the New Orleans Public-Private Partnership for economic development. It is also important for you to know that, up until his August 13th announcement suspending his support, Mayor Nagin had been a leader in forwarding the best practices creation of, what is now called, the New Orleans Economic Development Council (NOEDC). We were certain it would become the most significant legacy of his administration.

Since August 13th however, several of our private sector coalition partners have tried unsuccessfully to meet with Mayor Nagin. It was our hope that, when the Advisory Committee of University Presidents released their NOEDC Board recommendations from the pool of private sector nominees, the Mayor's stated concerns over diversity would be allayed. There is, in fact, a high level of expertise and diversity included on the Board thus far (which we are happy to share with you upon request) and, while we continue to hope that Mayor Nagin will follow through on the promise of his 2008 State of the City address and sign off on the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement, we're disappointed to report that there is currently no such indication from his office.

We'd like you to know that the New Orleans Economic Development Council private sector coalition (the Black Chamber, the Asian Chamber, the Hispanic Chamber, the New Orleans Chamber, the Business Council, the Board of Trade, and the Horizon Initiative) is not giving up, and we are counting on all of you to stick with us. Together we have accomplished so very much; we are, in effect, just a signature away from accomplishing our goal.

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Pamela Senatore
Vice President
Horizon Initiative