Be warned! Parking fines are increasing as part of LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s plan to curb the city budget deficit. Fines will increase by at least $5 on various infractions…including expired parking meters (now $63) and parking during street cleaning hours (now $73).
Larchmont Boulevard and the surrounding streets get an awful lot of attention from LADOT Traffic Officers. According to one LADOT Supervisor, extra patrols have already been assigned to the area. As a popular destination, Larchmont Boulevard meters are high turn-over. Since the credit card parking meters on Larchmont Boulevard send a signal to the Traffic Officers telling them that your meter has expired, the Traffic Officers can work very efficiently.
Be sure to check all parking signs when you park and then use technology to help you avoid a fine – set the timer on your phone for the period of time you have on the parking meter; set a recurring calendar reminder on your phone that will remind you to park your car on the opposite side of the street for street cleaning day. The extra step might just save you enough money to fund dinner and a movie!
For details on the increased parking fines, click on the links below:
LAist – Parking Ticket Fines Going Up Again in LA
LA Times  – Cash-Strapped LA Raises Parking Fines for 6th Time in 7 Years
LADOT Parking Enforcement Tips and FAQs
Doesn’t this seem like a tax rather than a fine increase? The Mayor has indicated he’s doing it to offset the budget deficit, not cover the increased monies it takes to collect the fees, etc.
If we’re increasing these fines for the 6’th time in 7 years [as reported by the LA Times] perhaps we need to seek better ways to make money for our city. This kind of fine hinders business traffic in our local stores and drives those customers to other cities who are more “customer friendly”.
Also, what about the renters who face these increases when they miss moving a car by a few minutes? I’m all for clean streets, I support the street cleaning whole-heartedly but I think this scape goat that’s been created is wrong.
I’m not an attorney but this certainly seems like a tax to me. Taxation without representation? So close to the Fourth of July?