Sun-Times Tells Daley To Stick It On Boot Law

Source: http://theexpiredmeter.com/?p=436

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Over the past six months or so, since the Chicago Sun-Times decided to become a self-proclaimed “voice of progressive views,” I have had to grit my teeth through week after week of truly illogical and poorly thought out leftist editorials.

But finally, Friday, the Sun-Times editorial board actually produced an editorial The Parking Ticket Geek can say he agrees with.

The newspaper comes out very strongly against Mayor Daley’s proposed plan to lower the number of boot eligible tickets from three tickets to two.

The Sun-Times believes it’s a bad idea for many reasons including it’s disproportionate burden on the poor and middle class, the already heavy burden of taxation on the backs of motorists and the already burdensome level of taxes that plague this city.

The Sun-Times deserves a standing ovation for this editorial.

Give the boot to squeeze on city parking

Mayor Daley has reached the tipping point on city taxes and fines. Now he wants to give us the boot.

You think voters are mad about rising city taxes as they struggle to pay their mortgages, gas up their cars and put food on the table?

You haven’t seen anything yet.

Daley wants to reduce the number of unpaid parking tickets to qualify a car owner for a Denver boot — from three to two.

He said Thursday the change could pour nearly $50 million into the city’s coffers.

It’s nothing more than trying to balance the city’s budget on the backs of the poor and the middle class.

First, an obvious point: People should pay their parking and red-light tickets on time. People have weeks to do it before the unpaid tickets can cause trouble for them. Those strapped for cash can sign up for a payment plan before they get into a jam.

But it’s fundamentally unfair to reduce the number of tickets in a city increasingly focused on wringing as much money as possible out of motorists.

Just ask anyone who has ever neglected to feed the meter.

Or had no pocket change and took a chance, just to run into the store.

Or failed to see the street-cleaning sign.

Or had junior take the family car out and “forget” to mention the parking ticket he got.

And don’t even think about parking your car on the street and leaving town for a month or two.

We would have more tolerance for lowering the boom if we had any faith in the system to fight unfair tickets. People who have gone through that court describe it as unpleasant, to put it charitably. Many feel they never got a fair shot at presenting their case.

What’s worse than the Denver boot, though, is a fact the city glosses over: Daley’s decision makes it that much easier for the city to tow your car.

Because once the boot goes on, the pain goes up.

Removing the boot costs $60, and if you don’t get it done in a day, the city can tow your car. That’s right — 24 hours or bye-bye to the Camry. And once you’re car is towed, watch the tab soar, with towing and storage fees. That is, if you can even find your car.

It might be easier for the mayor to sell his plan to taxpayers if we all felt we were in this together.

For instance, how big a hole is there in the city’s budget? How much of a dent would $50 million make?

Daley won’t say. It’s a secret.

In the end, it might be more straightforward for the mayor to hire a legion of burly guys from Bridgeport as his new parking enforcement crew.

They could prowl the streets and grab offending motorists by the ankles, turn them upside down and give them a good shake, seeing what cash falls out.

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