Parks Millage
Approved by New Orleans voters in 2019, the Parks Millage provides funding that supports park maintenance, operations, and long-term improvements across the city.
Bayou Saint John
what is the parks millage?
The Parks Millage is a voter-approved property tax that provides dedicated funding to support park maintenance, recreation programs, and infrastructure improvements across New Orleans. Approved by voters in May 2019, the millage was structured to replace soon-expiring millages previously collected for NORD, Parks & Parkways, and the Audubon Commission — meaning no new taxes were levied on residents. The new structure also made New Orleans City Park a first-time recipient of dedicated city public funding. Totaling 6.31 mills and authorized for twenty years (January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2040), the millage generates an estimated $22.15 million per year to maintain and improve public parks and strengthen coordination between the city's four major park agencies.
Where the funding goes
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Why it matters
Total: 6.31 mills | 20-year term: 2021–2040 | Est. $22.15 million annually
Playground repairs and recreation center upgrades across the city
Stormwater capture to reduce flooding in neighborhoods
Accessibility improvements so parks work for everyone
Conservation of natural areas and green space
Dedicated city funding for City Park — a first in the city's history
These investments strengthen neighborhoods and improve quality of life across New Orleans
The Parks Millage ensures parks remain safe, accessible, and well maintained for every neighborhood in New Orleans — replacing expiring millages with no additional taxes on residents.
These investments help strengthen neighborhoods and improve quality of life across the city.
What It Made Possible
The Big Green Easy
One of the key outcomes of the Parks Millage was the creation of a citywide parks master plan. This plan established a shared vision for park investment, coordination, and long-term improvements across New Orleans.
The Cooperative Endeavor Agreement
Accompanying the millage is a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) that established a first-of-its-kind inter-agency parks coordinating council among the four millage recipients. The CEA requires the agencies to work together — not just operate separately — and mandates that a citywide parks and recreation master plan be produced by a qualified third party with national park planning experience, updated every ten years, and funded directly from the millage proceeds.
Accountability & Oversight
The millage is governed by a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) — a legally binding contract between the City and all four recipient agencies (NORD, Parks & Parkways, Audubon, and City Park) that requires coordinated management of the city's parklands for the first time in New Orleans history. Under the CEA, each agency must submit an annual report by April 1st to the Mayor and City Council documenting achievements, coordination efforts, and a full accounting of how millage funds were spent. Agencies are also required to hold community meetings twice per year, with executive-level representatives present to receive input from the public.