News-Record.com

Wednesday's No. 2 editorial.

With $2.2 million in unpaid parking tickets and overdue penalties, the city needs to get serious about collecting the money.

But there’s nothing wrong with a brief amnesty before calling in the tow trucks. Last week, the Greensboro City Council voted unanimously to give miscreants a break during December by letting them pay off old parking tickets minus the late fee.

That’s a good deal. Most tickets start at $5. However, a $25 fee is added if it isn’t paid within 45 days and that happens a lot. Of the money owed the city in outstanding parking tickets, 62 percent involves overdue charges.

It’s no secret that until now the city hasn’t been very diligent about zeroing in on repeat violators. That’s about to change. Starting in January vehicles of flagrant violators will be fair game for booting and towing. Should that happen, cars won’t be returned until city fees are collected.

In fairness, before tougher measures take effect, people with two or more outstanding tickets will be notified. Also, a new online city payment system may encourage compliance.

Yet, until attitudes improve, progress may be negligible. A 2006 study showed that a quarter of motorists using downtown on-street parking violate the city’s two-hour limit. For some people, inserting coins in meters and accumulating tickets is a daily ritual.

Besides collecting back fines, the city should upgrade parking enforcement. Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Raleigh already have privatized it. Downtown Greensboro Inc. is conducting a study to see if that might work here, too.

No longer can cities look at minor offenses like parking violations with a wink and a nod. As budgets tighten, all revenue sources must be actively pursued. At the same time, spaces must be freed up to help merchants.

So, December may well be a last chance for chronic violators: Pay up now or prepare to get the boot.