Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed two bills co-sponsored by Councilman Jimmy Vacca into law on Monday, December 7.
The bills are designed to increase public awareness about changes in parking regulations and provide community notification when those changes occur.
One bill requires the posting of notice when permanent parking regulations change and the other requires that the city notify the local City Council member and community board at least 30 days before changing rates at parking meters or installing new muni-meters.
Vacca hailed the moves as a positive step forward in preventing what he calls “gotcha” tickets: summonses issued by traffic agents who many motorists consider overly aggressive
“As we saw earlier this year when meter rates changed, the city could change its rules without telling anyone and then punish people for not noticing,” Vacca said. “Thanks to these bills that will now be a thing of the past.”
Bloomberg has yet to sign two additional bills Vacca thinks would curb excessive ticketing.
“We are still waiting for the mayor to support even more important reforms: a five-minute grace period for
alternate-side parking zones and my bill [that would] require traffic agents to photograph offenses,” Vacca said.
Bloomberg has not announced whether he’ll sign the grace period and photo bills. The mayor thanked Department of Transportation commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan for the successful passage of the notification bills.
Reach reporter Patrick Rocchio at 718 742-3393 or procchio@cnglocal.com
