Bloomberg Slams Bill Protecting Parking Scofflaws

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A new bill soon to land on Governor Paterson's desk would allow drivers who've blown off their parking fines to park in city streets without fear of being towed. It's sponsored by none other than State Senator and Manhattan Attorney General hopeful Eric Schneiderman, who has been criticized himself for being a lousy backseat driver.

According to the Daily News, the bill in question is meant to "protect people in bankruptcy or financial crisis from losing their last dollar to creditors, putting items out of creditors' reach like homes worth less than $150,000 and wedding rings worth less than $1,000." Cars worth less than $4000 after outstanding loans would be protected, so owners of heavily-financed sports cars like Lamborghinis could one day have a double-parking parade without fear of towing.

Mayor Bloomberg says the bill will cost city taxpayers $50 million a year, and blasted it in a Q&A with reporters this morning. "I can't imagine a bad, a worse bill,” he said. “This is a bill that will kill people... If nobody follows the parking restrictions because they know their car's not going to get towed away, they'll start parking in front of fire hydrants. Firefighters can't get the water they need... they'll be parking at intersections. This is just a terrible piece of legislation, and I can only, the only possible rationale for it is as a campaign thing, and it's a disgrace." That's right, he said "disgrace," which means it's time to do a shot if you're playing along with the Bloomberg drinking game!

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By Rachel Pincus in News on July 26, 2010 4:11 PM

Comments [rss]

5borough

So now the city will just tow cars in the first place instead of ticketing them.

Also NYC car owner = not poor.

spiritross

I find it messed up that the State is taking jurisdiction over a city issue - they may have the right to do so but it is completely wrong of them to impose their ruling upon city law.

used_up_shoe

Fewer cars = Better city.

Tow them all.

Gavriel

The Mayor's logic is a flawed. Obviously cars can still be towed if they are parked in a Tow Away Zone. The point of the bill is that the cars cannot be towed away simply due to outstanding fines. People still get ticketed and towed for parking in front of a hydrant. And yes, having your car towed can mean bankruptcy to many of our city's poor.

Andrew Kent

Regardless of how they tweak the bill to exempt government seizures, there should be protections from both government and private seizures for properly credentialed disabled motorists who, were their vehicles to be towed, could be left stranded miles from home. As for people in the process of bankruptcy, aren't their assets already encumbered? One's car should be seen as an extension of their home and treated accordingly.

While the city's scofflaw towing program may generate needed revenue and put teeth into parking enforcement laws, the imposition of usurous late penalties and draconian towing and marshal's fees is nothing short of unjust enrichment for the city, for the politically connected towing companies, and for the handful of city marshals who, despite their titles and Mayoral appointments, are independent entrepreneurs under a feudal system that is an anachronism in enlightened public policy.

Parking fines do and should amortize parking enforcement efforts, but depending on a revenue stream based on the sins of the populace is unsound fiscal policy. What if people, fed up with being bled dry, just stopped parking illegally?

Welcome to NYC. Thank you for not parking.

John L

This man really really despises poor people. Anytime he hears of something that might help the poor in these tough times he goes nuts. It's not even that he just disagrees he really gets furious.

And he's full of shit because the way I understand it this bill only covers ticket scofflaws, meaning people who are delinquent for nonpayment of tickets but "In 1959, all of NYC was designated a tow away zone under the State's Vehicle & Traffic Laws? Your car can be towed for any NYC parking violation without a tow away zone sign. ( http://www.newyorkparkingticket.com/Blog/?Tag=nyc%20streets%20are%20all%20tow%20away%20zones ) " So this bill refers to legally parked cars that are towed by Marshals because they owe tickets. Typically these Marshals drive around at night running car plates to see if they have tickets in judgement past $350 and if they do they call a backup tow trucks and tow your car. Bloomberg knows this, he knows that anyone at a hydrant can still be towed. “This is a bill that will kill people", what a fucking clown he is. It might kill him to know that he won't be able to destroy more lives by taking people's cars.

What a despicable man!

5borough

Poor people?

Poor (who can afford to own cars in NYC) people?

John L

Yes those poor people. The poor people who drive beat up, ten year old cars. Have you ever heard the term "working poor"? I doubt if these poor people who have the audacity to own a beat up car sold it that would automatically elevate them into the middle class category. Did you think that everyone driving a beat up Honda was rich?

"The bill in question is meant to 'protect people in bankruptcy or financial crisis from losing their last dollar to creditors'" these are people who might have had good jobs, some where maybe even homeowners just a few years ago but are now considered poor. Maybe not by your definition but most would consider them to be poor.

And compared to Bloomberg we're all poor, certainly poorer than him. Unless of course if you're sitting on a couple of billions in which case you could probably pay those tickets on that Mercedes with no problem.