Quote:
Originally Posted by Manigault
As a city resident, I'd love to have that $2500 in revenue. And pre-the new system, I do know individuals who were able to owe that much in tickets. But what no one has mentioned is the fact that parking regulations are not just revenue-producing they have a purpose. I was in IL for three months before an old guy complained that me parking too close to a driveway caused his wife to have to swing 'way out in traffic. I took that to heart. We can't unring a bell -- your parking violations are over and done with. But, even if they are expired meter tickets, parking regulations innvolve safety and traffic flow. I absolve you [Like I have the authority!]. Now, cut out the foolishness!
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Let's not kid ourselves. Parking regulations are just as much or more about revenue than safety or traffic flow. That's why they can and do write parking tickets for things that have absolutely nothing to do with where or how you are parked, such as a missing plate, broken tail light, etc. Parking tickets alone form nearly 5% of the city's revenue, to the tune of $150,000,000
PER YEAR. And the city doesn't bother with the pretense that it's not about revenue. The meter maids wear vests that say "Department of Revenue." Whenever there's a budget shortfall, where's one of the first places they look to increase revenue? Increased parking fines. (See: the last budget that just passed.)
I got a stark reminder of this today because I got a ticket and towed for parking in a tow zone. The problem is, I wasn't parked in a tow zone. I was a good 3 car lengths from the nearest marked tow zone. No yellow curb, no fire hydrant, no driveways or alleys nearby, nothing that says "you can't park here." People park there all day every day with no problems, because it's not a tow zone. But today it magically turned into a tow zone. And I think I know why.
Across the street is a hotel that doesn't have its own parking lot. So the hotel's parking attendants do their part to monopolize every legal parking spot on the street (and most of the not-legal spots too.) Well last week I beat the parking attendant to an open spot and he got all butt-hurt about it. Lo and behold, today I walk out the door after class, my car is gone, but the hotel parking attendants have all their cars lined up and down the street, including in the spot where my car used to be. Makes me wonder if they don't have a little deal going on with one of the city tow truck drivers.
When the day comes that I move out to the suburbs and people ask me why I'm fleeing the city, I'll tell them that it's an accumulation of BS moments like this that finally drives a person to say "ENOUGH."
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