It’s About Time

State Rep Stan Saylor, my new hero, is calling on the Philadelphia Parking Authority to be investigated for issuing bogus parking tickets:

Several Pennsylvania state legislators are tired of hearing complaints from constituents about bogus parking tickets. State Representative Stan Saylor (R-York) is calling for an investigation of the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) after the agency’s meter maids insisted a wheelchair-bound man, Frank Pinola, failed to feed a parking meter on June 21 and July 30. Before the issue drew public attention, the PPA had demanded $92 from Pinola, who was not driving on those occasions.

He’s introducing a bill that would require photographic evidence to accompany all parking violations.  I would very much support this bill.   A friend of mine who lives in the city, but who had use of her father’s car while she was in college, got a 300 dollar ticket for an unregistered automobile, even though the automobile was lawfully registered to her father in Iowa, and insured.  Because it had previously been titled in Pennsylvania (it used to be my car), the PPD issued her a ticket, sent to her previous (read my) address.  They accused her of lying when she contested the ticket when the matter of the car being legally registered was brought up, and said the tag was stolen.  She didn’t have money to fight it any further, and just paid the fine.  The Philadelphia Parking Authority are thieves, pure and simple, and I’m happy to see someone finally doing something about it.