Proposal would raise parking fines
Published Sept. 26, 2006
A proposal presented to the Columbia City Council on Sept. 18 would raise the minimum city parking fine by $5.
Under the proposed ordinance, the minimum ticket issued in the city would increase from $10 to $15, though the fine would remain at $5 if paid within 15 days.
According to the City of Columbia's Web site, the last time the parking fines were changed was in 1996.
MU spokeswoman Mary Jo Banken said parking fines in university parking lots and garages are set by the university itself — not by the city — so any changes made would not affect fines for violations on campus.
The proposed ordinance would also allow for a procedure to contest tickets received in the city. Parking and Transportation Services already offers the chance to contest tickets received on campus.
Linda Turner, Parking and Transportation Services spokeswoman, said 80,000 to 100,000 parking tickets are handed out on campus every year, bringing in $1.2 million for parking lot maintenance, snow removal and payments for garage construction. This amounts to 20 percent of the total amount of parking fees collected.
Turner said the last time parking fees on campus were raised was August 2005.
