Consultants Propose Raising Detroit Parking Fines, Pursuing Ticketed More Aggressively
DETROIT (WWJ) - It's been a decade since the city of Detroit has raised its parking fines.
Now, experts looking at ways for the cash strapped city to raise money have suggested increasing fines ... and going after parking deadbeats.
Currently the fines run between $20 and $100 for varying offenses.
Under consideration by restructuring experts is the creation of a two-tier system for parking fines: $45 and $150. The city may also consider tying unpaid parking tickets to obtaining a driver's licence.
Newsradio 950's Marie Osborne spoke with Detroit residents who say: "Not so fast!"
"I think that if people are already struggling to pay then they are not likely to pay when the rates go up. It's just going to be a big fiasco," said one woman who identified herself as Thelis.
The city also faces another challenge: a large percentage of parking meters are broken.
"I live in the New Center area and every time I park the meters aren't working - but then they ticket you for a meter that's not working, I don't understand that," Thelis said.
But she tells WWJ that the meters are a real point of frustration for residents:
"And they run you out with the parking tickets and meters that don't work."
Another woman echoed the problem of non-working meters and the limited time that drivers have to fill a meter.
" ... they only take a certain amount of change and you only get two hours ... so I don't think the plan is going to work ... I don't think they should raise the fines until they improve the service on the meters, like right now, if you want to have dinner at a restaurant here ... you have to come out and feed the meter. Maybe I would be willing to pay for it if it were upgraded - maybe more like the ones in Ferndale," she said.
WWJ's Osborne put the finishing note on the story ... noticing that the meter where the news truck was parked during the interview, was broken.