Drivers ticketed on their own block as meters placed ‘where they shouldn’t be’ – and city warns fines could double
CITY lawmakers voted to increase parking fees to make up for a nearly $2 million revenue deficit.
Now drivers are raging over having to pay for parking on residential streets.
Allentown, Pennsylvania lawmakers voted to increase parking fines across the board after seeing the city had a revenue deficit of $1.8 million.
Raising the cost of parking would help bridge the gap, the council determined.
Until last week, the parking prices haven't been altered since 2001, reported WFMZ-TV.
The revenue generated from parking tickets is vital for funding construction projects, zoning projects, and even safety efforts for pedestrians.
Read More about Parking
The board approved downtown parking to be increased by $5 a month for surface lots and downtown decks.
Jon Haney, the interim executive director of the city's parking authority, said during a meeting last week that Allentown is rapidly growing, raising costs.
The rise in costs is to blame for the city's budget deficit.
For expired meters, the law change would see expired meter violations increase from $10 to $25.
Most read in Motors
Other common violations that would normally cost $15 would rise to $35 or $50.
Overnight parking came at a cost to residents, though the city did away with that ordinance some time ago.
After the overnight parking cost was axed, that's when the city began to lose money, Haney suggested.
The ruling didn't come without its fair share of objections, though, and it was mandated that a parking meter study be conducted to evaluate whether or not they made a difference.
Should the study yield positive results, new pricing changes will take effect on July 1.
However, councilwoman Ce-Ce Gerlach, the same council member who ordered the study, received a parking ticket in a residential area.
During the meeting she expressed hesitance towards meters in those zones, saying it would make way for unfair violations.
"There are meters where there should not be meters," said Gerlach.
"I just got a $10 ticket the other day on my block, and I live in a residential area."
There are meters where there should not be meters. I just got a $10 ticket the other day on my block, and I live in a residential area.
Councilwoman Ce-Ce Gerach
The downtown area, though, is where lawmakers are paying the most attention.
Councilmember Candida Affa noted that many choose to park on the street as opposed to a garage or a lot, creating the need to increase fines.
"It's a well-known fact," Affa said.
"Many lawyers from Philadelphia who come to our federal building park on the street rather than in a lot."
Haney remarked that it was about time for the city to change the parking situation.
"It's been 20-plus years since these things were adjusted in any kind of meaningful way," he said.
"The study found we are nowhere near where we should be and need to raise fines to at least the levels where the regional neighbors are. That revenue would allow me to further develop off-street parking. It's one thing to buy a lot, but then you must develop it."
How to fight a parking ticket
You can avoid being ticketed by following all posted laws and ordinances, but sometimes mistakes are made
Like any form of citation, parking tickets are preventable by reading and obeying posted signage. However, when visiting a new city, or state, or in a hurry, things can be missed and mistakes are made.
Suddenly there's a ticket you weren't prepared to pay for. If the ticket is a surprise to you, there are a few things you can do to help your case when appealing a parking ticket.
- Carefully read the ticket. Look for errors like incorrect street names, license plate numbers, vehicle make and model, time and date, etc. Errors would then make the ticket invalid.
- Take photos. Of the vehicle in the parking space, lack of signage, or other vehicles that weren't cited for performing the same parking job. If the ticket involves parking too close to something like a fire hydrant, a photo showing a reasonable distance would help your case. Make sure metadata with the time and date are accessible. Signs that are obstructed by trees, or are on bent posts, or aren't "obvious" are great things to photograph, too.
- Make sure the statute that was violated is listed on the ticket. If not listed, the ticket is not valid.
- Promptly follow the appeal instructions on the ticket. All legitimate tickets will have directions for appeal. Waiting until the very last moment weakens your argument and can result in late fees.
- When in court, avoid these phrases as they reduce your credibility and weaken your argument:
- "I didn’t know the law."
- "I was on my way to move my car."
- "I can’t afford this ticket."
- "I’ve been doing this for years."
- "I checked with the parking officer, who said it was OK."
- Contact a lawyer. If you're running into roadblocks and feel stuck, it may be best to reach out to a traffic lawyer in your area. Many have free case consultations.
Source: Reader's Digest
Gerlach, though, remains cautious of the parking authority after her experience.
"Since I have been on council, communication between us and the parking authority — that has been a struggle," she said.
"When there's lack of communication, that builds into sometimes a lack of trust. I do not yet have that faith and trust in the parking authority to do that study."
Resident Karen Ocasio told the outlet that city lawmakers should direct their attention elsewhere.
Read More on The US Sun
"This is a community that's already being gentrified," she said.
"Our people cannot afford these increases. I get it, everybody wants to make sure they make money. But this is something that needs a little bit more study."