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January 30,
2004 Record Editorial
It's
not only pedestrians you can see in boots these days
in Troy's snowy streets. Cars are wearing them, too.
And we believe that it's about time.
Boots are those hideous-yellow devices that are put
on a wheel of a car that has more than three tickets
filed under its registration number.
The boots, long a sight to behold in Albany and other
cities, make it impossible for a car to be driven, and
they will not be removed until every ticket is paid
in full - along with penalties and a $50 fee for boot
removal.
Harsh? Sure, but when you consider that the city of
Troy is owed more than $200,000 in outstanding tickets
despite a recent amnesty period that removed penalties
and late fees, it is a step that needed to be taken.
Mayor Harry Tutunjian hasn't had the time in office
to begin to grapple with Troy's biggest problems, but
his recent appearances at trash-removal sites, and now
the institution of the booting system, certainly show
his intent to keep his campaign promises on the quality-of-life
issues that plague the city.
Of course, we all have some sympathy for people having
to cough up cash for city coffers, but when you consider
that there are people who owe more than $1,000 in tickets,
that sympathy turns to skepticism.
After all, how many times can one person "forget" it's
alternate-side parking night or that fire lanes are
not places to put your car or that double-parking is
a severe detriment to traffic flow?
Illegal parking is more than a nuisance. It makes it
difficult to clean streets and makes snow-removal a
joke in some areas.
And which of us hasn't gotten into a major traffic snarl
caused by someone double parking while that person,
"just ran into the bank for a second"?
Let's be honest, parking illegally is a little game
of chance played by the thoughtless. The parker is gambling
no police will be around to hand out tickets. If the
person flouting the law loses, he or she should pay
up, no questions asked.
Whether it is a ploy to get more money in the city treasury
or a sincere effort to help solve Troy's parking problems,
clamping down on scofflaws is long overdue.
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