A month after proposing that the city raise the fine for parking tickets to just $5, Latrobe officials on Monday were back to considering a $10 fine for parking tickets, more than triple the current $3 rate.
Latrobe City Manager Alex Graziani presented council members with a proposed fee schedule for parking meters and fines, including the $10 parking ticket for violators who pay within the first 72 hours.
Council is not expected to vote on the proposed fee schedule until Sept. 10, but a majority of the group supports raising the rates. The city manager said the proposed rate schedule could be amended if council desires.
Councilman Mike Skapura said the parking tickets have to be increased to serve as a deterrent to those motorists who would try to park at a space without putting money in the meter.
“Why should the fine be less than all-day parking,” at a metered space, Skapura said.
Mayor Barbara Griffin said she is OK with the increase, but still wants to consider it.
Council members Ken Baldonieri and Robert Forish said they were in favor of raising the parking tickets to $10.
While Greensburg's parking tickets remain at $3, Forish pointed out that “we aren't Greensburg and they don't have a new parking garage.” Forish was referring to the newly renovated downtown facility between Weldon and Spring streets, which cost about $2.7 million to repair.
Councilman Richard Jim remained opposed to the higher rate, saying he thought the increase was too high.
Graziani said he proposed raising the parking tickets to $10, rather than $5, as a result of discussions with members of the city parking authority and several council members.
Graziani said he hears many complaints from people who have to pay a $3 parking ticket.
“I know they will squeal a lot more about a $10 fine,” he said.
Graziani contended that motorists who park in metered spaces, but fail to put money in the meters, are “stealing” a service.
In addition to raising parking ticket prices, the city has proposed that the cost of one-hour parking at meters with a 30-minute maximum time limit should be doubled to $1, and 50 cents at the two-hour meters. The rates for the nine-hour meters would increase to 30 cents an hour, from 20 cents.
Latrobe also is considering raising the rates of monthly parking passes. Regular monthly passes at parking lots would jump to $40, from $30, and passes in the garage would go to $45, from $30, under the proposed rate schedule.
City residents living outside the downtown business district would get a 35 percent discount for any parking pass, under the proposal.
Joe Napsha is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-836-5252 or jnapsha@tribweb.com.
