Parking meter change
Punishing drivers because meters are broken is wrong
The City of Los Angeles must collect funds to pay its bills, and has a range of resources available for this purpose. The problem arises when in its eagerness to obtain funds, the city basically takes advantage of its residents at all costs. That is the case when it comes to drivers.
A state law was approved last year to clear confusion about parking tickets being issued to vehicles parked in front of broken parking meters. General dissatisfaction about this arbitrary practice led to these types of fines being banned. However, it left room for some municipalities to exempt themselves from the state law if done before last January 1.
The Los Angeles City Council took the opportunity, and by a vote of 12-1 (Councilwoman Jan Perry was the only one voting against) it established that it will continue to issue parking tickets to cars parked in front of broken meters.
The argument used is that there are few broken meters, that when it happens they get fixed within a few hours and that allowing this type of parking encourages drivers to vandalize the meters.
In reality, these are excuses to justify the unjustifiable. The city is the one responsible for keeping the meters in working order. If they are out of order, there is no reason to penalize drivers by forbidding them from using the parking space and even less to fine them when they do it.
If meters are truly repaired so quickly, the city won’t lose so much money because someone parks there. At any rate, if someone parks in a space with a broken meter and it is quickly repaired without the driver knowing, the driver is responsible. And as far as the argument that drivers will vandalize the meters, those responsible for disabling them should be punished instead of turning all drivers into suspects.
Finally, another argument is that the city will lose funds if it implements the state law. We think there are valid ways for Los Angeles to obtain money, like increases in fine amounts and late fees. But the city’s own shortcomings must not be taken advantage of in order to charge drivers who are looking for parking and cannot find an empty spot with a working meter.
Therefore, in principle we support AB 61, a bill introduced by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) to ban cities from exempting themselves from the original law. What is happening in Los Angeles is a good example of why this legislation is needed to stop municipal greed.
