re: New Orleans dilettante Mayor proposes $850 per float fee on parades...

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Another issue is fatigue I think people are getting tired of Mardi Gras, private businesses are taking the fun out of Mardi Gras by charging expensive rates for parking. The street closures and towing companies that make bank from parking on the street can spoil the fun of Mardi Gras or any event in the city.

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Like everything rise in this country, a bifurcation is happening.

The wealthy people live near the routes, pay for setups, private access etc.

The poor just wander over and push their way in.

The middle class gets annoyed with the entitlement from the wealthy and the audacity of the poor, and just head out of town.

I grew up going to as many parades as I could. I loved taking my kids.

Last year I only attended the parades my kids marched in, plus Endymion, because the kids really wanted to go to that one.

I don’t think I missed anything.

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t’s a math problem

It’s costing the city more than the tax revenue it provides.

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I just can't bring myself to believe this. Someone doing that math isn't taking into account the full picture of economic impact to the city. All that spending gets taxed in some way. Bars, restaurants, hotels, airbnbs, stores, ubers, taxis, tourism tours, zoo, museums, etc.

They all spike insanely high.

I think a Tulane professor did a study that says it's almost a billion a year in positive economic impact to New Orleans.

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According to Tulane’s report, the city and its entities made a profit of nearly $8 million on Carnival in 2023. But if you only consider City Hall, it made less than $7 million and spent nearly $11 million providing security, sanitation and other services.

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Why is City Hall entitled to a profit?

The previous mayor used to treat Endymion as a nuisance and a cash cow to be exploited rather than a valued entity that has a massive positive economic impact on the city. I was hoping that this mayor would have more sense.
And this law will have no impact on Endymion because we can afford $850 per float. It is the smaller krews that will be punished.

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It is the smaller krews that will be punished.

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City requires 14 floats. Sone smaller parades are spreading floats thin to get there.

This might encourage smaller parades to merge which is a good thing.

Want to nickel and dime the krewes but they sure will waste money on those Gallier hall parties. DJs , food , etc.

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I was hoping that this mayor would have more sense.

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You're talking about a mayor of New Orleans. Where do you get such fancy ideas?

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Why is City Hall entitled to a profit?

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City Hall I don’t think is looking to profit from a zero sum game.

They are trying to balance the books and bank extra revenue in good financial times so it has cash when revenue doesn’t necessarily come in.


The big issue with most governments is that they finance operations like most individuals paycheck to paycheck. They get paid once a year with property taxes and lease payments, monthly with sales taxes, and other taxes as they come for special events, fines levied against violators, or if people apply for permits. They also get money from the Federal government and state government, sprinkled in when projects are completed or allotted money.

All of these krewes should use this as an opportunity to decide why they exist. Social club, benevolent society or they just want a parade. The city is not going to make it any easier from here.

I don’t see how the parade benefits the krewe other than member recruitment and creating an excuse for a giant party.

If I were still in a krewe, I’d vote to cancel the parade and redirect that money to a cool clubhouse or worthwhile cause.

I assume momus and comus are still going strong just without having to put up with the city’s bs.

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Moreno is just another grinning ignorant politician

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Show me a politician who doesn’t have their hand out and I’ll show you a politician with no hands.