Running afoul of New York City’s alternate-side-parking rules could soon result in steeper fines under a bill Councilman Lincoln Restler plans to introduce Thursday.
Under the bill, the initial fine for a violation would remain the same — it’s $65 — but subsequent fines within the same year could then cost $100 a piece and ultimately result in towing after an accumulation of at least three tickets within a 12-month period.
Restler said he hopes that upping the ante on fines will serve as a deterrent to motorists who view getting a ticket as less costly than paying the monthly fee for off-street parking.
“There are far too many people who have decided that paying $600, $800 a month for off-street parking is too damn much, and they’d rather pay the tickets for alternate-side parking,” the Brooklyn Democrat said. “And $65 is not enough of a deterrent for bad behavior.”
As it now stands, alternate-side violations result in $65 fines for each infraction, but they do not carry with them an escalation of fines for repeat offenses.
Restler said state law prevents the city from raising the fine beyond $100 and that he would have attempted to make new fines tougher if such a provision weren’t on the books.
“We need to crack down on people who are not complying with alternate-side parking. This is the way to do it,” he said.
Alternate-side-parking rules have been in place for years to give the city Sanitation Department the ability to sweep streets on a regular basis.
Last year, the city received 12,000 complaints for inadequate street sweeping, according to Restler, who noted that those complaints and less formal gripes from constituents led him to draft the bill.
But his bill has already begun to draw criticism.
“It’s a never-ending racket to take money from people,” said Moses Ortiz, a doorman from the South Bronx. “Driving in the city is insane. Even with the subways as bad as they are, it doesn’t make sense to drive. Alternate-side [parking] is a scam. It’s a city scam. It’s horrible. Sometimes they don’t come by and clean.”
Jackie Sterling, 49, of the Upper West Side, called the bill “horrible” and said it would further put the squeeze on New Yorkers struggling to get by.
“The city is looking for ways to raise more money. There’s already budget cuts that affect social services,” she said. “I understand that there are a lot [of] rich people in this neighborhood. Don’t be fooled by that, because there’s no longer a middle class. There’s a large majority of people who do not make that. They’re making just enough to get by.”
If approved by the City Council and Mayor Adams, Restler’s bill would go into effect within 60 days of passage.
“The goal here is not to be a jerk,” Restler said. “The goal is to actually clean up our neighborhoods.”