Here's something you might be interested in.
Ok, so I admit to being behind the times on this one, but I haven't had a parking ticket in a few years and today I went outside to my care to see the very unwelcome site of the yellow envelope on my windshield. I picked up the ticket and was shocked that in addition to the already absurd $47 fine for being temporarily parked in my alleyway, there was a $12.50 "state mandated surcharge"!
So I immediately investigated this surcharge and discovered it was voted on by SD City Council in 2011.link text
A 7-1 decision by the City Council was voted on Nov. 29 to pass along state-mandated surcharges. Apparently the vote claimed it would "save" the city $3 million annually (in other words it would gouge citizens 3 million dollars annually to pay for their crony projects).
So doing the math, that is a 25% surcharge on an already overpriced parking ticket. If the City Council is allowed to do this what is to stop them from levying greater surcharges in the future?
I get that there need to be fines for parking violations, but at what point is it no longer appropriate restitution and an abuse of power?
Obviously when we get a parking ticket there is NO option to just not pay it. There is no supply and demand which means the City could charge any amount they want. I am just wondering who is overseeing this abusive gouging of taxpayers by our representatives?
Gloria of course applauded this appalling decision. “I applaud the staff for catching this,” said District 3 Councilman Todd Gloria.
Read more: San Diego Community News Group - Parking tickets will cost you more
Ok, so I admit to being behind the times on this one, but I haven't had a parking ticket in a few years and today I went outside to my care to see the very unwelcome site of the yellow envelope on my windshield. I picked up the ticket and was shocked that in addition to the already absurd $47 fine for being temporarily parked in my alleyway, there was a $12.50 "state mandated surcharge"!
So I immediately investigated this surcharge and discovered it was voted on by SD City Council in 2011.link text
A 7-1 decision by the City Council was voted on Nov. 29 to pass along state-mandated surcharges. Apparently the vote claimed it would "save" the city $3 million annually (in other words it would gouge citizens 3 million dollars annually to pay for their crony projects).
So doing the math, that is a 25% surcharge on an already overpriced parking ticket. If the City Council is allowed to do this what is to stop them from levying greater surcharges in the future?
I get that there need to be fines for parking violations, but at what point is it no longer appropriate restitution and an abuse of power?
Obviously when we get a parking ticket there is NO option to just not pay it. There is no supply and demand which means the City could charge any amount they want. I am just wondering who is overseeing this abusive gouging of taxpayers by our representatives?
Gloria of course applauded this appalling decision. “I applaud the staff for catching this,” said District 3 Councilman Todd Gloria.
Read more: San Diego Community News Group - Parking tickets will cost you more