Chicago man fights $3,700 in parking tickets, some violations from the same night
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Many Chicago residents have experienced the dread of seeing a ticket on their car's windshield.
It's something a Grand Crossing man said he's felt that dread several times a week. But should those who've repeatedly not complied with the law be repeatedly punished?
Jabree Adams has received $3,700 worth of tickets. CBS News Chicago counted 30 citations from the last few months for the same two violations: No city sticker and a missing plate.
"It's not a good feeling just knowing that every single day, you have to expect a ticket," Adams said.
But affixing a front plate costs time, and getting a city sticker costs money. Adams said he has neither.
"Rules are definitely rules," he said. "I'm not much of a rule breaker, but life gets the best of everyone sometimes."
No one, not even Adams, is saying he shouldn't be punished.
The problem is how often the tickets are coming. Why did he receive three missing plate citations within 24 hours? That's a $180 hit.
Another example: he received one ticket at 12:38 a.m. for a lack of a city sticker, and then another that same day at 2:04 a.m.
In less than an hour and a half, he racked up another $400 in fines for the same offense.
"The frequency at which I'm given them doesn't give me much room to catch up or any financial room to try and take care of the issue," Adams said.
This is not supposed to be happening, according to two city departments. The city's finance department said its system is supposed to automatically withdraw a ticket issued for a second consecutive day. The Chicago Police Department's city sticker policy says, "Department members will no longer write same day or consecutive day tickets for compliance violations."
A frustrated Adams felt like he's been targeted, but knows he has a role to play. He recently fixed the front plate problem.
But the fines were still piling up for his lack of a city sticker. Just one ticket costs $100, more than the sticker itself.
"That's outrageous," Adams said. "How am I supposed to pay that and get the city sticker? So, it seems a little backwards to me and a little cornering. Like, I'm between a rock and a hard place."
If a resident proves they've paid for a city sticker, violations up to 30 days prior can be cleared off their plate through a program called "fix-it defense." Adams said no one told him about that even though he's been to court to contest his tickets.
For more information on the "fix-it defense," known as the Clear Path Relief Program, visit the city's website.
