NYC Goal to Raise $93M more in Parking Ticket Fines

Last Updated on June 24, 2017 by Lawrence Berezin

The New York Post reports, citing new budget documents, that the Bloomberg administration has set its sights on a whopping $686M in revenue next year from parking ticket fines and penalties; obliterating the notion that parking enforcement warriors aren’t given quotas to fill. This exceeds projections of NYC parking ticket revenue for 2009 by $93M.

Here’s the math:

• $1.6M generated every day by parking ticket revenue (excluding penalties)
• 220 additional traffic agents hired
• 930,000 more parking tickets will be written in 2010 than in 2009
• 2,550 parking tickets will be written every day in 2010

Councilman Simcha Felder, a strong voice against unreasonable parking ticket enforcement, says in response:

“We all know what this is about. Any plan to plug the budget gap with more ticketing is reprehensible”

Councilman Vincent Gentile said:

“The city’s budget director, Mark Page, admits[ed] in a briefing that the city’s move to hire 220 additional traffic agents was motivated by enhancing revenue collection not parking enforcement”

NYC raced across that fine line that divides public interest and welfare; and audacious behavior that holds the driving public hostage to fill a budget gap. What action can you take? Here is some suggestion:

• Inundate your city council members with emails, letters, and calls expressing outrage at this type of conduct by NYC
• Be very, very careful where you park. I recommend using your cell phone camera, a digital camera you keep in the car, and a tape measure to document unreasonable parking tickets
• Always try to get the name and email address of at least one witness to your injustice
• Always check the front of your parking ticket for mistakes. You automatically win
• Act quickly on each parking ticket. Make your decision to fight or pay expeditiously.

What’s your reaction to all of this? What action do you plan to take? Are you going to sit this one out and let the City have a free pass at the cost of the driving public?

Please drop us a note. Your opinion is important to us on this important issue that impacts us all.