Newton’s winter parking ban has officially been lifted, Newton Patch reminds us here. Our discussion from October about whether or not we should have a winter parking ban is here.
Newton’s winter parking ban ended last night
by Greg Reibman | Apr 14, 2017 | streets and sidewalks | 13 comments
Our temporary local nightmare is over. Temporarily.
The winter parking ban exploits the income disparity in Newton. It needs to become a snow emergency parking ban.
@Marti: AGREED
I was unable to move my car one evening this year (there was no snow on the ground or in the forecast so I wasn’t impeding snow removal) and received the $25 fine. I looked at the ticket and saw that parking on a sidewalk, too close to a fire station, or in a bus stop are only $15. Is the city trying to tell me that parking in front of my home when there’s no snow or chance of snow is a bigger threat to public safety than parking on a sidewalk??? Well, now I have a 6 month break from this ridiculous law.
As she often is, Marti is exactly right. Throughout this most recent overnight parking ban cycle, Jess Barton kept a daily blog, which tracked the necessity of the ban. Here’s the breakdown of nights per month that it was actually needed:
November: 0 nights
December: 3 nights
January: 6 nights
February: 18 nights
March: 10 nights
April: 1 night
During the 2014-2015 cycle, the City of Newton issued roughly 4,600 tickets. That’s at minimum $115,000 of cash taken out of the pockets of residents, many of whom literally have no other option but to park their car on the road. We can do better than contribute to wealth and income inequality in such an avoidable way.
@Kristine: I hear you. The lack of consistency when it comes to policy creation and implementation is often nonexistent. On that note, I was recently told by a City Councilor that during the City Council debate on this issue, a ranking police officer testified that the police only issue overnight parking ban tickets if a complaint is made. Based on both the experiences of lower-income residents that I’ve spoken with and my own, that statement doesn’t add up. Every time this past cycle that I needed to park on the street, I got a ticket, and I am all but certain that no neighbors reported it.
I would love to see data regarding how many individuals were penalized and from which neighborhoods they come during the most recent overnight parking ban cycle. Surely one of our City Councilors could obtain this information?
You can all check out Jess’ blog at: http://newtonwinterparking.blogspot.com/search/label/Month%20report.
What everyone else said +1!
The same technology that lets the city call all of us when school is canceled can obviously be used to alert us to the need to remove our cars from the streets. The “ban” is clearly not a necessity except as a revenue generation mechanism which of course is made all the less important what with all the $$ flowing into the city’s coffers from leaf blower vigilantism.
Thank you ELMO!!
Actually what is even more hypocritical is that our Councilors are so concerned about the Illegal Immigrants that the created a Sanctuary City but were very happy to cripple the Businesses of the Legal Landscaper Immigrants many who live and pay taxes in Newton. But again – what better way to generate money for the City by having the Police Ticket Cars during the winter and Landscapers from April to December!
Jeepers Joanne. You’re like a broken record. Throughout the leaf blower debate the deserving-of-our-respect locally-based landscapers expressed a willingness to operate within reasonable guidelines. As a result, the council was convinced to not support a total leaf blower ban. It’s not what I wanted, it’s not what the landscapers wanted but it’s much better than it might have been.
But the picture you paint of these businessmen and women as rogue operators who are out these defying the ordinance and therefore facing massive fines, only harms their reputation. You really should knock it off.
Greg – Go and re-read what I wrote. It is in regards to police ticketing cars during the winter and now landscapers and how it is effecting a certain segment of Newton Citizens.
And if I am a broken Record then I guess I am Kinda like Mike Striar on the Marijuana issue, the Non profits and Colleges not paying taxes and the Later High School Start times.
@ Elmo is onto something, nice!
@Joanne, it has been seen on here numerous times over that this is what happens when you speak your mind in an open forum…you end up getting scolded like a child with the hopes that you learn a lesson for the next time. . Here on V14, the editors post, then want you to discuss…. then heaven forbid you discuss differently than they do because then you get reprimanded with people’s degradations and looong dissertations against your views. What’s the point of a blog if you can’t express your thoughts?! Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of the blog? Here’s something to think about…..I recently read a quote “the only people who are mad at you for speaking the truth are those people who are living a lie-keep speaking the truth” . Nice eh?
@Greg please stop using reverse psychology to intimidate people into silence. It’s not working.
Actually Anne, the way it works is someone makes his/her points and then someone else can say why they disagree. Repeat as desired.
I complain about the parking ban as well, but when I get a ticket I’m mad at the policy but deserve the ticket for violating the law. Same thing with a landscaper for violating the blower compromise. Still got to pay the fine, and continue to pay the fine, until you either stop violating the law or the law is changed.
Which is why I stopped street parking. Because every time I street parked this winter, I got a ticket as did my neighbors. Must be someone complaining on my block. Wish I could figure out who doesn’t like street parking on my street so I could make them some cookies and stop them complaining. Cookies solve everything.
I’d recommed the landscapers do the same thing. Don’t violate the law and you are all good!
That said, in response to Tom, I get the sense that certain folks HATE street parking. I wouldn’t doubt you’ve got a silent complainer on your block. Only takes one. Bah humbug.
But I’m 100% in agreement that parking ban is silly. But 100% not in agreement that the emergency call system should be used for the calling ban. I hate those calls.