Last week, the City Council announced that the Opportunity Pass Program is on the chopping block!
Keep reading for action steps and how you can help…
As you know, the Opportunity Pass provides free, unlimited RTA rides to Orleans Parish youth ages 16–24. Nearly 7,500 young people depend on this program every day to get to school, work, and other destinations. It is a lifeline for access, opportunity, freedom, and connection.
Right now, that lifeline is at risk.
The City of New Orleans is facing a significant budget deficit, and City Council members announced yesterday that they are looking at every possible funding source to cover payroll, including American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars.
Those same federal ARPA funds are what make the Opportunity Pass possible.
Understanding the difficult position the City is in and, in an effort to remain fiscally responsible, the program administrators have completed a second round of financial projections for year two and determined the program will only require $1.8 million in support to continue, meaning $700,000 of that funding is going back to the City.
But the buck must stop there.
If the City reallocates additional funds from this program to address its deficit, it could mean the end of free transit access for thousands of young people. Orleans Parish youth cannot lose transit access because the city mismanaged funds.
As the City Council prepares to make “difficult decisions about ARPA-funded contracts,” we need to act now to ensure council members understand the critical role of this program. We are asking all of our partners —the organizations that work with and serve young people every day —to join us in speaking up.
HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO:
- Call or email your City Councilmember today. Tell them that the Opportunity Pass must be protected.
- Remind them that 7,500 Orleans Parish youth rely on this program to access jobs, education, healthcare, and opportunity.
- Make it personal. Share what you have seen this program mean for the youth you serve and how free transit access has helped them show up, stay employed, and stay connected
*I’ve attached contact emails/phone numbers for City Council Members and their Chiefs of Staff, as well as a script for calls and emails
If the City reallocates any more ARPA funds, it will be taking resources away from one of our most vulnerable populations, young people who are working hard to build their futures.
We have come too far to lose this progress. Let’s make sure the City Council hears us loud and clear: do not take any more ARPA funds from the Opportunity Pass Program.
Please take a few minutes today to reach out and share this message with your networks. Every call and email makes a difference.
Thank you for standing with us!
New Orleans City Council Contacts
Helena Moreno (Mayor-Elect and Council Vice President, At-Large)
Chief of Staff: Sayde Finkel
Email: Helena.Moreno@nola.gov | Sayde.Finkel@nola.gov
Phone: (504) 658-1060
JP Morrell (Council President, At-Large)
Chief of Staff: Krystal D. Hendon
Email: JP.Morrell@nola.gov | Krystal.Hendon@nola.gov
Phone: (504) 658-1070
District A – Joe Giarrusso
Chief of Staff: Amanda Rizzo
Email: Joseph.Giarrusso@nola.gov | Amanda.Rizzo@nola.gov
Phone: (504) 658-1010
District B – Lesli Harris
Chief of Staff: Alison Poort
Email: Lesli.Harris@nola.gov | Anpoort@nola.gov
Phone: (504) 658-1020
District C – Freddie King III
Chief of Staff: Charles E. Toney Jr.
Email: Freddie.King@nola.gov | Charles.Toney@nola.gov
Phone: (504) 658-1030
District D – Eugene J. Green
Chief of Staff: Sandra G. Thomas
Email: Eugene.Green@nola.gov | Sandra.Thomas@nola.gov
Phone: (504) 658-1040
District E – Oliver Thomas
Chief of Staff: Diedre Pierce
Email: Oliver.Thomas@nola.gov | Diedre.Pierce@nola.gov
Phone: (504) 658-1050
Script for Calling and Emailing Council Members
Subject: Protect the Opportunity Pass Program for New Orleans Youth!
My name is [Your Name], and I work with [Your Organization], which serves young people in Orleans Parish. I’m reaching out to urge you to protect the Opportunity Pass Program and ensure that no additional American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds are taken from it.
{How Opportunity Pass has supported the youth you serve}
The Opportunity Pass provides free, unlimited rides on all RTA buses, streetcars, and ferries for youth ages 16–24. Nearly 7,500 young people already rely on this program every day to reach school, work, healthcare, and other essential opportunities. It is a lifeline for access, opportunity, freedom, and connection.
The program was initially funded with a $2.5 million ARPA allocation. In an effort to remain fiscally responsible, program administrators recently completed a second round of projections for year two and determined that it will only require $1.8 million to support. That means $700,000 has already been returned to the city.
If the City reallocates any more ARPA funds from this program to address its deficit, it could mean the end of free transit access for thousands of young people. Orleans Parish youth cannot lose transit access because of the city’s mismanagement of funds.
Please protect the remaining Opportunity Pass funding and ensure our city continues to invest in mobility, safety, and the future of our youth.
Thank you for your time and leadership on this urgent issue.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]