New Orleans city officials, cataloguing every cent amid a budget crisis, recently demanded that the Sewerage and Water Board repay $87.5 million the city fronted, primarily for roadwork the city fronted on the utility's behalf -- and the city will get $20 million of that by year's end, utility officials said Wednesday.

The remaining $67.5 million isn’t so certain; payments for about half that amount are being negotiated. S&WB officials say the other half isn’t due and payable at all because there’s no money to pay it.

Though the initial payout falls short of what the city wanted, it will still help a city government that has scrounged around in recent weeks for cash wherever it can find, after botched budgeting and federal reimbursement delays led to a $160 million deficit and cashflow p

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