Privatization of Parking Meters Incites Case Against City Comptroller
An association comprised of taxpayers and citizens and one named citizen, Aviva Patt, are seeking to sue the City and State Comptroller and Secretary of State over the privatization of parking meters in Chicago.
The Chicago City Council's December 4th, 2008 decision to approve Mayor Daley's proposal to lease the City's parking meters to a private party for 75 years prompted the proposed plaintiffs to seek the following:
i. Stop City Comptroller from spending money related to the city's privatized parking meter system
ii. Stop Secretary of State from spending money related to suspending driver licenses arising from fines or penalities from the city's privatized parking meter system
iii. Stop State Comptroller from spending money related to Secretary of State suspending or impairing driver licenses based on violations arising from city's privatized parking meter system
According to the proposed complaint, after the transaction to transfer the city's parking meter system to an investment group (called Chicago Parking Meters, LLC) was completed, the city continued to expend public funds to maintain and repair the meters based on a number of complaints that the meters were disabled, would not take coins, did not properly recognize coins and displayed inaccurate parking rates and times of enforcement.
The proposed complaint also states that:
- The city's agreement with CPM illegally leases the city's parking meter system on public streets
- The city's agreement with CPM illegally delegates the city's police power
- The city's agreement with CPM illegally binds successive city council's powers to regulate the city's on-street parking meter system.
To read the complaint, click here.
5 Comments
Greg Morelli said:
Some people just have too much free time. I will do what Fox Comedy Channel will not. I will learn from watching the debate. I'm happy with the way parking has simplified in the city. For a buck, with the swipe of a card, I can park in the loop. I remember the days of driving in circles to find a lot that was 20 bucks for the first hour alone. Changing your mind. Feels good. You don't have to like that King Daley has no term limit and we all know that political corruption in Chicago starts at the top. But seriously, move on nerd.
victor ochoa said:
What are you about 23? You remember what, how inefficiently City Hall (Hiz Honor, look up Mike Royko) and the current thief were charging for parking even on a Sunday when downtown was as charming as the Tenderloin (google that too)? Look up a movie called The Blues Brothers, THAT was downtown then. Go take a basic class on Economics dumb ass.
Joey Morelli said:
Seriously, Joey, next time you sign in, make sure you're signed in as "Joey," not "Greg." But I must say, how hot do I look in this orange shirt?
jack said:
Back to the subject.
I agree with Bill Cameron that the suit is weak. The only thing that seems supported in the complaint is that public funds should not be used to enforce a private right to the money. However, there doesn't seem any support for the allegations that you can't lease the streets (are they leasing the streets or the meters?) or that you can't bind the next 17 City Councils.*
But, I guess the interesting juncture in the case will be reading the briefs on the motions to dismiss. The result might be that the lease is o.k. but city employed meter maids can't enforce it.** I'm sure that small claims court could handle private citations, however.
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*Notwithstanding that, Ed Burke, Dick Mell, and Bernie Stone will still be in the Council, so it probably will not be 17 different ones.
**Don't forget, though, that this is filed in the Cook County Circuit Court. Guess how they rule on political questions.
dockster said:
Regardless if its a weak case, it shows how inept the City was in approving and executing this deal. These issues, while they may not be big enough to derail the whole thing, should have been addressed prior to its implementation.
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