When used judiciously parking tickets and red light cameras can do some good. However, the temptation to profit from these is causing illegal and harassing parking tickets, and in the case of red-light cameras, increasing the number of overall accidents at intersections where they are installed. Furthermore, red-light camera profits tempt cities to lower the yellow-light time in order to increase revenue which increases accidents (apparently lengthening the yellow light time can decrease the number of accidents at an intersection, while lowering it increases the number of accidents). Clearly these are tools that need to be used judiciously and for the safety and good of the people, not to line the pockets of the cities/state at the expense of citizens’ safety and well-being.

I don’t begrudge the police department revenue made by actually policing intersections and stopping drivers who run lights, but this would also be a warning to them to make sure they keep their tickets honest.

I’m not in MA anymore, so I can’t push this forward, but I will mail AAA and my insurance company asking for them to push forward such initiatives and contact my representative in my new district for the red-light legislation. If any of you have gotten ballot initiatives started, please consider starting this one.

I would definitely suggest keeping records of all tickets and proof of resolution *forever*. When it comes down to your word against the city later, maybe years later, you are guilty unless you have proof.

Unfortunately Massachusetts has given cities an effortless license to steal by allowing unreasonable fines backed up by the iron fist. The temptation for the city is too great. Unless the members of the traffic board and traffic commission are changed, what you see now is what you will get.

Regarding other traffic enforcement, it isn’t a good idea for the city to get “needed revenues” that way either. It is definitely good to enforce traffic laws, but once that is seen as a revenue source it opens up a fertile area for abuse. Just check the internet to learn how red-light cameras are being used to fleece motorists by cities that shorten the yellow cycle. One popular red-light camera tactic is to ticket people who don’t come to a 100% stop when turning right on red — even though that particular violation is responsible for very, very few accidents. This is turning into a real revenue mill, with huge profits going to the private red-light camera companies.

And — in case you didn’t see it in the papers — Massachusetts now charges you $25 to dispute a traffic ticket — even if you are found innocent!

It never ends.

Not to mention that the idea that your friends can only visit 2 times out of a week or get ticketed (happened to a different friend, same week). What business is it of Somerville’s how often your friends visit?

“Failure to obey this notice within 21 days may result in additional penalties. Failure to obey this notice may also result in the non-renewal of the license and registration of the registered owner. Failure to pay parking citations may subject motor vehicle to seizure.”

This is so heavy-handed as to be obscene. That a parking officer can casually punch out a ticket that can result in the loss of a citizen’s driver’s license and vehicle is absolutely off the scale of fairness and reason. That a trivial parking violation is put on the same scale as loss of driver’s license is absurd. This is government misuse of power.

When I was about 20, in Berkeley, California, I saw a sticker stuck to a payphone: “Make no mistake. Government takes your money in return for controlling your life.” At the time it didn’t make much sense to me. I was naive. I thought government was mostly well-meaning. Over time it has become very clear, through example after example, that government at all levels is an arrogant master, not a servant. How does this happen? Sadly, when given authority, many people believe they are superior, and develop contempt for the masses. Then bad things happen to the citizens.

Here is a enlightening story from California about a city government, and court system, and their attitude toward citizens.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/city-tickets-camera-2544539-santa-law

In Somerville, the parking ticket racket is similar. Those in charge have rationalized the high fines backed by extortionist threats, and feel no guilt. They simply don’t care about with your objections, or mine. They don’t care about soiling Somerville’s reputation with unfairly high fines. They don’t care about the consequences to a citizen when a ticket, for whatever reason, never comes to his attention, and who later loses his car or right to drive. To “Those In Charge” such things are not of concern. They simply don’t care. They like everything just the way it is. The only thing they would like better is to raise the fines higher and take in even more money. Unfortunately, they can’t do this because most tickets have already hit the state maximum!

Today I read in the Somerville News that the city wants SomervilleVoices.org’s Barry Rifkind to pay $200,000 up front before he can review parking and enforcement public records! Well, it appears the Somerville machine is your master, not your servant. I find the government of Somerville to be disgraceful. Frankly, I’ve seen enough.

I recently found a $50 parking ticket on my car, because I forgot to post my vistor’s permit. Previously I got another $50 ticket, with my permit was in FULL VIEW. Yet another $50 ticket was issued — but never placed on my vehicle — I might have not known about it for years (until suspension of my license or registration). I was luckt to notice it on the Somerville parking website while checking a different ticket. This is a hopeless mix of mismanagement and extortion. It has little to do with parking. It has a lot to do with money.

I previously pledged $15 to the parking story. With all respect to the members of SomervilleVoices, I have decided to withdraw my pledge and donate it somewhere else where it might have some effect. Sorry. I am not a resident. This is your issue and your city, not mine.

(1) Parking fines are too high and not proportional to the offenses,

(2) Parking fines should not be used as a revenue source, and

(3) Exhorbitant fines make residents and visitors alike hostile to Somerville.

The chairman’s response was polite, but clearly implied that things are fine as they are. His response was exactly as I expected, so I wasn’t surprised. I merely felt I had done my part to inform your city.

I must add that I am from Florida, not a Somerville resident. This is really your issue and not mine. Somerville voters will decide what the character of the city will be, not me.

Hello. I will be out of the office Aug. 28-Sept. 11. For immediate assistance, please call the City Manager’s Office at 617-349-4300. For Website assistance, please call Carol Cheung at 617-349-4076.

In preparation for this story, I have submitted 5 requests for public records to the City under M.G.L. Chapter 66: Section 10.:

* Parking Ticket Data
* Parking Ticket Appeals
* Car Towing Information
* Parking Officer Data
* Parking Meter Revenues

I will submit similar requests to surrounding municipalities soon.