City Council Considers Hiking Parking Fines

Pittsburgh City Council president Darlene Harris has introduced legislation to raise fines for illegal parking.

Harris said fines have not been raised in 20 years and a parking ticket in downtown is lower than the cost of legally parking in a garage. The fine is now $15,and because fines are so low,many people just ignore them.

Harris said the increased fines could bring in as much as $2 million more in revenue just this year.

The proposed changes in fines are: Illegal parking, such as close to intersection or hydrant, from $15 to $25. Street cleaning, from $15 to $25. Expired meter and overtime meter, from $11 to $20. Expired meter and overtime meter, downtown and Oakland, from $16 to $30. Expired meter and overtime meter, off-street lots, from $10 to $20. Expired off-street lots, downtown and Oakland, from $15 to $30. Deposit of slugs, maximum of $50 to minimum of $80. Damage to meters, maximum of $50 to minimum of $80, plus cost to repair meters. Residential parking violation, from $35 to $45.

Other Council members sponsoring the bill are: Patrick Dowd, Bruce Kraus, Bill Peduto, Natalia Rudiak and Doug Shields