Non-lawyer here, can't figure out how Somerville gets away with $100+ parking fines

[sparr0.livejournal.com]

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIV/Chapter90/Section20A and https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIV/Chapter90/Section20A1~2 appear to be the two options a MA city has when instituting regulations by way of a traffic commission and parking clerk. They differ slightly. One allows mailing of tickets, establishes default fine amounts if a city passes none, and has a $25 ticket limit ($100 for bus stops), the other a $50 ticket limit ($100 for bus stops and fire hydrants). One has some extra requirements specific to Boston and Cambridge.

So, how is it that the Somerville Traffic Commission has multiple $100 and $200 fines on their books?

(EDIT: I've struck out the fines that comments below have found legal justification for)

Bus Stop $100 90 MGL 20A / 90 MGL 20A 1/2
Obstructing Posted Fire Lane $100 89 MGL 7A
Obstructing Handicap Ramp $200 40 MGL 22A
Within 10 ft. of Hydrant $100 90 MGL 20A 1/2 only, does not apply to cities that mail tickets to people
Handicapped Parking $200 40 MGL 22A
Declared Snow Emergency:
Tow Zone/Obstructing Snow Plow $100
Within 10 ft. of Hydrant/Designated Fire Lane $100 covered above
Within 20 ft. of an Intersection $100

(and this is assuming they never mail parking tickets to people, which would make the list of problematic ticket amounts much longer)

I expect that there are further statutes allowing some of these, specifically. I would not be surprised to find a state statute allowing exorbitant fines for handicapped parking violations. However, I can't find any of them. Help?

Comments

[keithn.livejournal.com]

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIV/Chapter89/Section7A

"No person shall drive a vehicle within three hundred feet of any fire apparatus going to a fire or responding to an alarm, nor drive said vehicle, or park or leave the same unattended, within eight hundred feet of a fire or within the fire lanes established by the fire department,"

...

Violation of any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars.

Thanks

[sparr0.livejournal.com]

One down. 7 to go. (assuming Somerville doesn't mail out tickets)

[keithn.livejournal.com]

Here's bus stops: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2008/Chapter465

I'm sure these are all covered, and it's not really hard to find these laws. This was literally the first result for searching for "bus stop".

[keithn.livejournal.com]

Here's hydrants: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIV/Chapter90/Section20A1~2

The traffic and parking commission of the city of Boston, the traffic commission or traffic director of any other city or town having such a commission or director with authority to promulgate traffic rules, the city council of any other city, and the board of selectmen of any other town, shall, from time to time, establish by rule or regulation a schedule of fines for violations subject to this section committed within such city or town; provided, however, that all such fines shall be uniform for the same offense committed in the same zone or district, if any; and provided, further, that the fine for the violation of the parking of motor vehicles within ten feet of a fire hydrant shall not be more than one hundred dollars, and provided, further, that the fine for the violation of parking a motor vehicle within a posted bus stop shall be $100; and provided further, that any fine established under the provisions of this section for all other parking violations shall not exceed $50, if paid within 21 days, nor shall it exceed $55, if paid thereafter, but before the parking clerk reports to the registrar, as provided below and shall not exceed $75 if paid thereafter.

[sparr0.livejournal.com]

OK, now I feel dumb. Totally missed that one expecting "100" to match the rest of the chapter, instead of "one hundred"

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

It wasn't that long ago that the "all other violations" limit was $15.

[sparr0.livejournal.com]

That amendment is already reflected in the sections that I linked. Sorry for miscounting. Caveat about mailing tickets stands.