Between half-naked people and broken sidewalks, Lt. Gov. says something has to change in French Quarter

New Orleans recently reported significant drops in major crime statistics and though that is good news, headlines continue to come out about violence in the French Quarter, CBD and surrounding areas.

Couple that with infrastructure, city services and homeless issues, it begs the question how do these problems impact the city's main source of income, tourism.

The Crescent City has always been a popular tourist destination and, with the city set to host the next Superbowl, there are clear efforts to clean up for the influx of company expected.

But, as the city beefs up beautification efforts, will substantive changes be made to promote a safer environment especially in the tourist hot spot of the French Quarter?

Lt Governor Billy Nungesser is calling for the city of New Orleans to get its act together so that the issues the city faces don't negatively impact the tourism economy.

“I get calls, texts, emails, from people saying they are never coming back to New Orleans and sometimes Louisiana.”

He says visitors who won't make a return trip due to the environs of the French Quarter, including reports of broken sidewalks and streets, getting harassed for money, and seeing “half-naked” people.

Nungesser says one problem is that tourists’ complaints are fleeting to city leaders as they can't get them re-elected.

“If a tourist falls, bumps his head and scrapes his knee, that’s not going to effect their votes so they don’t think twice about it. It has to come from the residents and businesses; the people who live and work there.”