New Rochelle Officials Promise To Fix Ticket Glitch That Cost Drivers Thousands
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A ticket snafu may have cost thousands of drivers unnecessary fees in order to pay their fines.
CBS2 uncovered the problem, and now there's a promise to fix it.
Run a red light in New Rochelle and risk a $50 ticket.
An expanding network of red light cameras have netted the city $40,000 a month in ticket revenue.
It's possible that thousands of drivers who've paid up, overpaid.
"I thought it was terrible, it's a way to make money. Somebody's making money off of it," Linda Pascuzzi said.
Pascuzzi paid her ticket online after noticing the warning 'no personal checks' pay by 'certified check or money order' or online with a 12 percent surcharge adding $6 to the ticket.
"I had to pay $6 because I didn't want to go to the store to buy a money order or certify a check," she said.
"Our lives are full. I have kids and I work. When am I gonna get to a place to get a money order?" Jane Fitzgerald said.
It's been frustrating and unnecessary. After CBS2 demanded answers, New Rochelle said it will take a personal check for payment of a red light ticket, but the third party vendor running the program -- a Maryland firm called 'Brekford' -- apparently failed to update the ticket form, and New Rochelle's city hall apparently failed to follow up.
For more than a year drivers have been buying money orders or paying the fee in order to pay their ticket.
"I think they should reimburse you for the $6 you paid," Pascuzzi said.
New Rochelle City Hall wouldn't say if it would green light refunds, but they did promise to fix the form to make it clear that personal checks are accepted for red light tickets.