Lower the price of parking tickets in Los Angeles

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Lower the price of parking tickets in Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA > Transportation, Infrastructure & Public Works

Susan McDonnell

Proposed Oct. 9, 2017

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The price of parking tickets in Los Angeles creates an undue hardship on the working class. How? 1) The price of parking tickets in Los Angeles ($73) equals what many Angelinos working in the service industry earn in an entire $10 an hour workday. 2) Working class Angelinos are disproportionately hit by the cost of parking tickets because, a) they are much more likely to live in apartment buildings that do not offer off-street parking, and b) they are much more likely to work at a location (store, restaurant, etc) that does not provide off-street parking. 3) The high cost of parking tickets also endanger working-class residents who work a late shift and face an undesirable dilemma; park many blocks away and walk through a dangerous neighborhood, or risk getting a parking ticket that will nullify their earnings. 4) The city of Los Angeles offers a short 28-day window to pay your parking ticket or incur a steep penalty - a practice which obviously disproportionately punishes those who cannot budget the cost of the ticket in the first place. 5) An accumulation of parking tickets will result in your car getting 'the boot' until all fees are paid in cash. 6) Parking fines were increased by 58% from 2006 and 2012 in Los Angeles, at a time when working-class wages did not increase at all. And finally, on a personal note, I will add that during my 10+ years of financial struggle - I found that parking tickets did more to destroy my very carefully crafted monthly budget and pushed me down into grinding poverty than anything else - and I don't think one of the most progressive cities in America should punish its hardest working citizens this severely for a minor violation. Thank you.

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Amend & Discuss

Liz Amsden (12/08/2017)
How does a city that already has financial problems offset this? Charge more in richer zip codes? Or based on where the car is registered? Part of the cost is to act as a deterrent and there are many people and businesses that look at tickets as a cost of living in LA. Others see getting one ticket in 12 illegal parking events as cheaper than paying to park in a garage. I agree it is in too many cases a disproportionate tax on the poor. So what do you suggest the City realistically do?