Jul 1, 2008 8:30 pm US/Eastern
Parking Fines Increased In Boston
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
We all know that it costs a lot more to drive these days. And if you park in the wrong place, that will cost you more too.
Boston driver's certainly aren't happy when you tell them that fees are going up. Victor Ilori has seen enough tickets, "it's bad enough the way it is. If they double fines, it's going to be really crazy."
Some of the fines have doubled. If you park in a handicapped spot, you'll still get towed. But, if you block a handicapped ramp, the fine jumps from $50 to $100.
You better not block a crosswalk—it was $40 if you got a ticket, now it's jumped to $85.
Maggie Magner got nailed for an expired registration. Her plates still said June and on Tuesday, July officially started. Her fine that would have been $20, doubled.
At City Hall, the Commissioner says that the increase in fines was long overdue. "A lot of fines hadn't been increased since 1991, so that's a 17 year gap."
In fiscal year 2007, the city raised a whopping $63 million that went to schools and libraries. Towns have to raise money.
On the bright side, despite the fines doubling, this won't hurt you if you find a legal space. Boston officials say that, "nobody has to pay these fines. They're easily avoidable. If you choose not to park illegally and if you choose to register and insure your car, you'll never receive one of these fines. You won't be affected at all."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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