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Parking Fine
Responses: Summary Of 3 Days Mail
 Despite
short notice, District 4 residents overwhelmingly responded to my
petition on the City proposal to double parking tickets for street
sweeping from $32 to $64 to increase revenues by $2.1 million. While
everyone agrees we need a cleaner city, I questioned if this was a
fair way of funding clean-ups when Oakland already had the highest
fines in the area. Taking 3 days of mail responses, I presented over
600 signatures in opposition to the dramatic increase in fines. Thanks
to our response, the Council reduced the increase to $10,
$42 not $64 in a 5-3 vote.
THIS IS WHAT YOUR
NEIGHBORS HAD TO SAY:
Parking Fines are
Supposed to Improve Parking/Allow Cleaning, Not Fund Projects: "This
is the wrong way to fund city projects...by overcharging for street
cleaning violations." - D.Strong, Lyman Rd.
Maintaining Meters:
"The real problem is that too many meters don’t work...and
when the batteries are dead, they won’t give us credit and we get
tickets!" - M. Jones, Georgia Street
Parking Fines Hit
Lower Paid Workers and Local Businesses: Many
areas of Oakland have inadequate parking facilities for workers. "..most
non-management personnel have to park on the neighboring streets
during our working hours. Oakland needs to have businesses stay
here...We should be able to concentrate on our work and not worry
about $30 tickets." - M. Baldwin, Taurus Ave.
High Parking Fines
Discourage Shopping: "...it
discourages shopping. I shop in nearby cities that offer sensible
parking near retail, rather than hassle finding a meter with enough
time." - R. Dixon, Harding Way
Fines Hit Lower
Income Residents Hardest in Neighborhoods Where Apartments /Housing
Units are Most Dense:
"...outrageous punishment for "mom’s" who forget or
workers who leave the house after 9 a.m.." - R. Sterling,
Allendale.
Many Neighborhoods
Get Infrequent Street Cleaning:
"...for 37 years (I have been sweeping piles of ) leaves and
seeds from trees on the City lot across the street...not once have I
seen the City clean the street. I also pay for some one to pick up
the piles because the green (Waste Management) does not." - L.
Melnick, Moraga
Thanks,
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