DRIVERS in a popular city are outraged as parking fees are skyrocketing in just a matter of days.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is raising the cost of residential parking permits from $35 to $75.
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Residents of Philly were quick to share their cries of outrage with the new fee on social media.
“Today the parking authority has announced they are going to raise parking permits to $75 For each Home owner that owns a car,” one Facebook user wrote in part.
“This is the city that we pay high taxes in rent skyrocket there is no parking for anybody and now they want to raise parking permits.
“This is unacceptable we as residents of Philadelphia need to come together and have petition signed,” he continued.
He went on to say that the newly-expensive permit doesn’t guarantee a parking spot.
“So why continue to pay for something you’re not promised that you pay taxes for anyway for your streets to park on,” the post said, adding on a complaint about pot holes and “streets sinking.”
The message went on to encourage residents to sign a petition hoping to eliminate permit parking in the whole city.
“Until we get something done that’s gonna promise to [residents] of Philadelphia parking and they have our streets fixed,” the post concluded.
Other residents were furious at the news in the post’s comments section.
“I think we should petition for the Parking authority to go away all together,” one user wrote.
“I never agreed with permit parking,” another complained.
The current system allowed for unlimited permits with higher prices for each vehicle.
NEW RULES
Now, the Philadelphia Parking Authority will charge an annual flat $75 fee per permit per vehicle.
There will be a limit of three permits per household.
How to fight a parking ticket
You can avoid being ticketed by following all posted laws and ordinances, but sometimes mistakes are made
Like any form of citation, parking tickets are preventable by reading and obeying posted signage. However, when visiting a new city, or state, or in a hurry, things can be missed and mistakes are made.
Suddenly there’s a ticket you weren’t prepared to pay for. If the ticket is a surprise to you, there are a few things you can do to help your case when appealing a parking ticket.
- Carefully read the ticket. Look for errors like incorrect street names, license plate numbers, vehicle make and model, time and date, etc. Errors would then make the ticket invalid.
- Take photos. Of the vehicle in the parking space, lack of signage, or other vehicles that weren’t cited for performing the same parking job. If the ticket involves parking too close to something like a fire hydrant, a photo showing a reasonable distance would help your case. Make sure metadata with the time and date are accessible. Signs that are obstructed by trees, or are on bent posts, or aren’t “obvious” are great things to photograph, too.
- Make sure the statute that was violated is listed on the ticket. If not listed, the ticket is not valid.
- Promptly follow the appeal instructions on the ticket. All legitimate tickets will have directions for appeal. Waiting until the very last moment weakens your argument and can result in late fees.
- When in court, avoid these phrases as they reduce your credibility and weaken your argument:
- “I didn’t know the law.”
- “I was on my way to move my car.”
- “I can’t afford this ticket.”
- “I’ve been doing this for years.”
- “I checked with the parking officer, who said it was OK.”
- Contact a lawyer. If you’re running into roadblocks and feel stuck, it may be best to reach out to a traffic lawyer in your area. Many have free case consultations.
Source: Reader’s Digest
The new rules go into effect on September 1.
That’s not the only new rule in Philadelphia that has enraged drivers.
NEW TEMPORARY PASS FEE
On August 1, the cost of temporary parking passes jumped up five times.
Rates for 15-day passes went from $15 to $75. The rates for monthly passes went from $30 to $150.
However, daily passes stayed at a rate of $7.
The PPA has also limited only 60 temporary parking permits per household.
‘NEEDED REFORMS’
Rich Lazer, the executive director of the PPA, said in a statement that the price hikes were necessary because the costs hadn’t changed in years, according to local NBC affiliate WCAU.
“Significant pricing changes haven’t occurred since tiered pricing for permits was first introduced over a decade ago,” Lazer said.
“Prior to that, the cost of an annual permit has remained at $35 since 1983.”
He added that the limits on permits per household will make it fairer for those trying to access parking spots in the city.
“These are needed reforms,” he said in a statement.
“There are only so many spaces on the street and the number of residential permits in circulation far exceeds the parking capacity.”
The PPA will provide a 30-day grace period for the first month of the new limits so that drivers can renew their residential permits – but they’ll crack down starting after September 30.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to the PPA for comment.
