NEW ORLEANS — The final day to take advantage of the City of New Orleans’ Amnesty Late Fee Forgiveness Program is today. You have until 5:00 to settle your fine or taxes due at City Hall or until midnight if you pay online.
City leaders say that the city is waiving about $3.2 million in fees and taxes. Here’s a breakdown:
- Parking late fees $2.4 million
- Sales and hotel motel fines and interest $1.1 million
- Code enforcement $40,000
- Library fees $150,000
If you want to pay online, here’s a link to the city webpage that will explain the process.
“It was the mayor’s opportunity to say, ‘I want to give back. I want to go back to the citizens and and say let’s go ahead and have a clean slate’,” Chief Financial Officer Norman White told reporters at City Hall.
The program began in June. It allows people to pay parking tickets, library fees, and other fines without paying an late fees. The program does not reduce the original penalties though. For businesses that are late on paying things like hotel and motel taxes, the city is waiving the late fees and half of the interest owed.
To help encourage people to settle up with the city, there were free donuts and coffee available for the crowd arriving at City Hall.