When I first moved here, I was astounded at how few people used the parking meters...I have now learned why. Since moving to Denver, I have received no less than TEN parking tickets (more than two per month). I am a reasonable person, and I understand that parking is a limited resource, however I must say this system is UNJUST and we should FIGHT.
I am compiling research on this subject to see just what is going on in Denver to abuse their authority to such a degree.
- Denver parking meters have very short times (usually 2 hours max). In most cities, a parking meter is 3-4 hours. The 2 hour limit is specifically designed to generate additional fees.
- The cost to park is $0.25 for 1/4 hour. The fee for returning 1 minute late is $30! That means the fee is 15X to 120X the cost of the parking!
- Denver PVB gives the owner a 20 day window to respond to the citation. With most services (particularly those that require response by mail or physical presence) give a 30-60 day window to respond. This exceptionally short response time is designed to add additional penalites to the fine.
- If you do not respond to the denver parking ticket within 20 days, your fee is DOUBLED. This means your fee could potentially be 240X the cost of parking. This also means that the city is charging an effective interest rate of over 1,200% despite the legal maximum of 30%. Despite being an egregious penalty, I view this to be criminal!
- In 2007, vehicle control agents issued 585,211 citations, raising $16.4 million. New figures show that in 2008, agents wrote 618,556 tickets for nearly $20 million in revenue. Agents are given strict quotas of at least 90 tickets per day, regardless of triviality of the infraction.
- The city and county of Denver, at this time, has a population of 598,707. As the City of Denver has handed out over 600k parking tickets, they have given a ticket for every man, woman, and child within the city...and then some. If my math is correct... the city believes that 103% of Denver residents are criminals
- In addition to writing more Denver Parking Tickets, the PVB raised the fees in 2007. Confirming their clear effort to raise revenue, the PVB does not allow its victims to contest the fees based on economic hardship or on the unfairness of the fees.
- Denver PVB is biased in their grounds for increasing citations, rejecting our contestations, and in their rationale for increased fees and penalties. The city of denver serves its own interest and agenda by collecting parking ticket fees, while it has no incentive (and clearly no desire) to resolve complaints
- The city has hired the firm ACS Inc. to provide fancy new parking ticket machines, streamline the fee collection process, and to help provide programs to increase the number of citations delivered. In this sense, the city is acting in partnership with (and indeed in a similar fashion) to a corporation in seek of profit at the expense of its consumers.
- The city also refers to those who have received tickets as "customers" further cofirming Denver PVB's identity as a corporation rather than a public service. This is despite the fact that those served with a Denver Parking Ticket are unwilling "customers" and likely consider themselves victims of an increasingly abusive entity.
- The city is now collecting $3 in unfair fees from citations for every $1 made honestly through parking meters. The revenue from parking now accounts for over 3% of the city's general fund budget, clearly indicating that the city is now relying on these revenues. To the average person making $35k a year, this would be similar to a $1,000 bonus for cheating.
In the News
- City admits to over $1million in fraudulent fees: http://denver.cbslocal.com/2011/02/21/ticket-troubles-cbs4-investigation-reveals-1m-in-questionable-parking-tickets/
- Meter maids seek revenge and issue false citations: http://www.9news.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=162955&catid=222 and http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2011/06/parking_ticket_contest.php
- Ticket payments are handled through a corporate website(denverpvb.com). This makes it difficult to distinguish legitimate tickets from false ones: http://www.9news.com/rss/story.aspx?storyid=85307
- The city deliberately waits to take action in order to increase fees. They use questionable tactics, such as debt collection firms to coerce payment: http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2008/11/happy_birthday_parking_ticket.php
- Denver using tickets to supplement sales tax: http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2009/02/kenny_bes_worst_case_scenario_6.php
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