When it comes to parking tickets, the city’s repeat offenders soon may be getting the boot.
Officials said they must start cracking down on those who do not pay outstanding parking tickets. The wheel boot, a device clamped on a car’s wheels to make them immobile, might be the first step.
Daisy Madison, the city’s chief financial officer, said the boot could let the public know the city is serious.
PDF: Citation list A PDF: Citation list B
“We’ve got to make believers out of them,” she said.
City officials said this week that over the next several months, they would begin a “crackdown” on outstanding parking citation debtors.
Staff Photo by John Rawlston/Chattanooga Times Free Press – Police Service Technician Sharon Blanks displays a parking boot on Wednesday afternoon at the Walnut Street Precinct. After receiving authorization from City Court, technicians carry the device to place on vehicles with a large amount in parking fines.Officers would use the boot once offenders accrued a specified amount of debt, officials said. That number has not yet been determined.
A review of unpaid parking fees shows more than $7 million is owed to the city, and only about $4.5 million of that is collectible. The numbers dwindle even further based on the criteria the city sets to collect the fees.
Councilman Manny Rico said this week that if boots are used, it must be done effectively. He said the city needs to target cars valuable enough to warrant booting.
“If there’s a junker out there, they’ll just give up their car,” he said.
Chattanooga Police Sgt. Scott Fulgham, a supervisor of the downtown police service technicians, said Wednesday the police department had a total of four boots that could be used. He said the city stopped using the boots almost two years ago.
“It’s very likely we need more boots,” he said.
Sgt. Fulgham said when the city uses the boots it shows there is a consequence for those who have repeat violations.
“It’s very effective when you boot,” he said.
BY THE NUMBERS* $7.1 million: Total amount owed to the city for outstanding parking citations* $4.9 million: Total city can collect* $4.5 million: Money city can collect after citations with no names are taken outSource: City of Chattanooga
City Court Judge Sherry Paty said Wednesday that historically she and City Court Judge Russell Bean have signed off on an individual basis for the city to boot offenders “if they meet certain criteria.” She said there has been talk of issuing a “blanket” court order that would allow city officers to boot when appropriate without getting a judge’s approval.
But she said the rule of law still would apply.
“Obviously, the person has a right to a hearing,” she said.
Judge Bean said he also would support some type of blanket approval. But he said the boots should be used for other violators, as well, such as drivers with illegal tags.
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