NEW ORLEANS – The city of New Orleans is changing the way it patrols and enforces parking in one part of town after a report by the city’s inspector general showed that some Sewerage and Water Board employees used fake handicap placards to park illegally.
According to an inspector general report, a complaint about illegal parking was filed last June. In the complaint it was stated that the employees were basically parking for free near the headquarters on St. Joseph Street by using the fake placards and parking in handicap spots beyond the three-hour limit.
An investigation showed that 26 employees had participated in the practice.
The report estimates that the illegal action cost the city nearly $200,000 in revenue.
The city now says that it will conduct regular sweeps of the area to make sure that parking laws are being followed.