NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu's plan to charge extra sales taxes in the French Quarter to pay for more policing has cleared the city council.
NOLA.com/The Times Picayune’s Richard Rainet reports the city council unanimously voted Thursday to create a taxing district, a first step toward placing the measure on the Oct. 24 ballot.
Should French Quarter voters agree, the measure would create an "economic development district" that could collect an extra quarter-cent sales tax in New Orleans' premiere tourist spot.
Officials say the money would help finance more police patrols, special security details, civilian patrols and a continued state police presence in that historic neighborhood.
Landrieu has estimated the tax could generate $2 million a year.
