Penalizing people for appealing parking tickets is unacceptable
I am writing to formally express my concern and disappointment regarding a recent parking ticket I received. It was not for failing to pay for parking, but for making a simple clerical mistake: I accidentally transposed the digits of my license plate number when entering it into the meter system. Despite having paid for parking in full, I was issued a $30 ticket solely for this minor error.
Seeking fairness, I appealed the ticket online. Unfortunately, not only was my appeal denied, but an additional $10 was added to the fine, bringing the total to $40. This response feels less like justice and more like punishment for exercising my right to due process. Penalizing individuals further simply for appealing a questionable violation is discouraging and unacceptable.
This policy reflects a deeply flawed approach to enforcement. Visitors and residents alike should not be penalized for making honest mistakes—especially when there is no attempt to evade payment. To treat such a situation as a full violation and then increase the fine when the person seeks clarification or reconsideration reflects poorly on our city and our values.
If our goal is to create a welcoming and just environment, then we need systems that recognize the difference between deliberate violations and good-faith errors. A grace policy or automated error-detection method could easily resolve these situations without resorting to fines and penalties.
Instead, this kind of enforcement sends a discouraging message to the very people we hope to welcome – visitors, business patrons and city residents – who are doing their best to follow the rules.
I urge city officials to review and revise this policy to ensure it is both fair and reasonable.
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