news-record.com

GREENSBORO - Some good news for problem parkers: the City Council wants to give you a break on those overdue parking tickets.

But don't miss this opportunity to take care of your bills, because after the new year, the city will get strict with people who don't pay up.

Last week, council members asked the city attorney to draft an ordinance for a parking ticket penalty amnesty program for December. The program would allow drivers to pay their old parking tickets without owing the overdue fees.

"I figured the month of December would be a good present for people," said Councilman Zack Matheny, who made the motion for the program that council members approved unanimously.

The decision comes as the city plans to start towing cars to help collect some of the $2.2 million in unpaid parking tickets and overdue penalties. The city will also make it easier for people to pay what they owe through a new online bill payment system.

Greensboro parking regulators have issued more than 400,000 tickets in the past 20 years, generating $5.5 million in paid tickets and overdue penalties.

Most tickets start at $5, but a $25 fee gets tacked on if the ticket isn't paid within 45 days.

In the past 20 years, troubled parkers have racked up $2.8 million in penalties for overdue tickets.

Sixty-two percent of the $2.2 million in outstanding tickets, or $1.4 million, are penalties, said Patti Koontz, collections manager for the city of Greensboro.

Matheny and other council members pushed the amnesty period as a way to lure in people who haven't paid.

"It's just a source to building revenue for the city," Matheny said.

Under the amnesty, a driver who has a $5 parking ticket with a $25 late fee - for a total of a $30 bill - would owe only the $5 fee.

The towing policy is another way to collect.

After the amnesty ends, the police department will start towing cars that have multiple outstanding tickets.

In the next few weeks, about 3,800 people with two or more outstanding parking tickets will get a letter from the city warning them about the tow policy.

"We're trying to give them 30 days' notice before the parking enforcement starts towing," Koontz said.

To be towed, a car must have at least three tickets that are more than 90 days overdue.

Drivers won't be able to collect their cars until the city collects its fees.

Starting next month, it will also be easier for residents to pay their city bills.

Greensboro will launch an online payment system that will be linked to the city's Web site, www.greensboro-nc.gov.

Residents will eventually be able to use the system to pay parking tickets and water bills, Koontz said.

Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com