Bill Could Block Cities From Citing Drivers Who Park at Broken Meters

LAist is reporting that Councilmembers Jan Perry and Dennis Zane have put forth a motion to prohibit the city of Los Angeles from ticketing automobiles that park at broken meters.  This is similar to my bill AB 61, which would apply throughout the state.  Highlights from their article below:

 Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist

Although the state of California says motorists who park at broken meters are not to be ticketed, this new law comes with a crucial exception: Cities can opt-out and enforce the no-parking rule and issue tickets anyhow. Los Angeles recently became one such city, with the Council voting 12-1 in favor of issuing tickets to drivers who leave their car at broken parking meters. 

Now, however, Assemblyman Mike Gatto's bill could put the brakes on L.A.'s plan.
The bill, AB 61, would prohibit local governments, such as cities and counties, from enacting an ordinance that bans parking in a space controlled by a broken meter or broken kiosk for on-street parking. 

“It’s just wrong for cities to ticket people who want to park at a meter that the city has failed to fix,” said Gatto in his statement on AB 61. “Or to force a motorist to drive around or park in a paid lot when a perfectly good spot on the street is available... "

"...It is the responsibility of local governments to maintain their meters and keep them in good working order,” said Gatto. “The people should not have to pay for the government’s mistakes or inefficiencies, especially when the people already paid to install and maintain the meters in the first place...”

...Gatto isn't fighting (by proxy) L.A. City Hall alone; in addition to Councilmember Jan Perry, who cast the sole dissenting vote regarding opting out of the state law, Councilmember Dennis Zine, who was absent for the vote, have joined forces to put forth a motion calling for a reversal of the city policy...

You can read this entire article and more at the LAist, by clicking HERE

 Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto