Another Voice: Parking Ticket Is Just Another Way To Say 'Tax'

Parking Ticket Is Just Another Way To Say 'Tax'

By John Adams

Ticket writing is not about justice. It is not about safety. It is not about the public good. It is not about improvements to roadways.

Ticket writing is about revenue. Pure and simple. It is a tax, and a heavy heavy tax at that.

The same way that City Stickers are taxes. (Does anyone know, is there any other city that requires City Stickers for vehicles?)

The same way that Red Light Cameras are taxes.

These taxes are a heavy burden to citizens of this city. These taxes pose as Laws and Regulations for the good and safety of the general public. And many people fall for the lie.

But these taxes are not about the good of the citizens. They are about revenue.

And I don't think anyone should pay these taxes.

Ever.

And then, when the City sees that Parking Tickets are a fruitless effort to raise revenue, the laws can then be easily changed to favor taxpayers like you and me.

Street Cleaning signs can be removed, because we know that Street Cleaning is also about revenue. (Street Cleaning on HALF the streets on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of the month? Are you kidding me? WHERE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO PARK? AND WHY IS IT THAT SOMETIMES THE STEET CLEANER DOESN'T EVEN BOTHER TO CLEAN THOSE STREETS?)

So called "Loading Zones" (another was just put up in my neighborhood that took yet another 2 parking spots away) could be layed out into something resembling some kind of order and sense, and maybe even for some kind of actual loading.

So called "Snow Routes" which seem to serve very little purpose other than to be one more sticky, tricky place to park in the winter, if it snows more than 2 inches, and sometimes even if it doesn't!

Meters and payboxes can become a thing of the past, though a very dark spot on our City's (and Nation's) history.

Meter readers can get jobs doing something else. That will save the city some money.

Traffic court judges will have more time for viable court issues, instead of these circus issues like parking tickets.

Police will be able to focus on fighting crime, instead of fighting parking.

The Meters, Denver Boots, and all the illegitimate "No Parking Signs" can be taken to the scrapyard, providing additional revenue for the city.

The Absence of Parking Tickets will save countless trees from destruction, and keep our city cleaner by reducing litter from tickets blown off the windshields. The money saved by not having these printed up can go to fill the revenue gap.

Paper work will be reduced, saving more trees, more time, more money.

It will save gas, as people won't drive around for hours looking for parking, because bogus loading zones will be reduced, bogus handicapped zones will be reduced, bogus "No Parking from here to curb" will be reduced, and the fear of parking on a snow route in the winter when there is a 10% chance of snow will be reduced.

The Pay Boxes can be turned into lemonade machines in the summer, and hot chocolate machines in the winter, powered by that nifty little solar panel on top.

Do I need to go on?

I'm fed up.

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