Curtatone grants amnesty on "snow emergency" tickets

[easy-wind.livejournal.com]

Mayor grants amnesty for tickets issued in snow non-emergency
By Associated Press
Thursday, January 29, 2004

SOMERVILLE, Mass. - The city's new mayor granted a reprieve Thursday to
thousands of residents whose cars were ticketed or towed from city streets
for a snowstorm that never materialized.

Because of forecasts calling for up to eight inches of snow, Mayor
Joseph A. Curtatone declared a snow emergency at 7 p.m. Tuesday, before a
flake had fallen. Within hours, 3,000 cars had been ticketed and another 200
were towed before the ban was lifted at 4:20 a.m.

By then, meteorologists had downgraded their forecasts because the
storm veered south. The Boston area received about an inch of snow.

The tickets cost $50, and the tow jobs $145.

Curtatone had said he planned to enforce the fines and towing fees,
which would have meant a possible $179,000 windfall for the city.

But he reversed course Thursday morning, telling WRKO-AM he would
forgive the fines - but just this once.

``We're going to grant - one time, one time only - amnesty on all
tickets given as a result of not following these snow emergency policies,''
said Curtatone, who took office earlier this month.

Curtatone said he would continue the city's policy of declaring a snow
emergency at the prediction of four or more inches, giving residents four
hours to remove their vehicles.

And next time, the mayor said, residents who park their cars on snow
emergency streets won't be given a reprieve.

``We're going to enforce this policy more strictly the next time
there's a significant snow storm,'' Curtatone said. ``You must check your
local news station, cable access station, web site or call city hall for
further direction.''

Most of Somerville's neighbors, including Boston, Cambridge, Watertown
and Arlington, did not declare a snow emergency or deploy additional
personnel. Chelsea did have a snow emergency, and police Capt. Brian Kyes
said 50 cars were ticketed and towed.

Comments

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

Heh. I was going to post this if no one else did. I'm glad he saw the light this time. I will still probably write him email to tell him that 4 inches of snow does not a snow emergency make, and that if he's going to make a habit of not admitting when he's wrong, I'm sorry I voted for him.

[prog.livejournal.com]

I don't understand how he could waive the towing fees; I've always had to pay the Pat's trolls in cash. Did they just let everyone enjoy their towing services gratis for one day?

[signsoflife.livejournal.com]

"NEXT TIME" there's a snow storm?

There wasn't a snow storm *this* time.

Somerville Traffic and Parking has gotten *totally* out of hand. They used to be nice, reasonable people. In just about the past year they've gone batshit looney, and treat anyone who dares to park on the street like a criminal by default.

(and yes, I've moved to Arlington since, and boy howdy, am I glad.)

Re:

[penguin42.livejournal.com]

He probably meant to say "next time there's a prediction of a snow storm," which is of course the standard they use to determine snow emergencies.

Re:

[penguin42.livejournal.com]

Well, 4+ inches is enough to want to start plowing the streets. And that's all "snow emergency" really means -- that they have to plow. It has nothing to do with it being an actual emergency per se...

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

On another note...

Maybe because I didn't get enough sleep last night, I keep misreading "tow jobs" and giggling at work...

Re:

[cedarmulberry.livejournal.com]

Cars were marked for towing, but hadn't been towed yet. Towing was canceled, because Weather Control decided to cancel the snowstorm.

'least, that's what I was told.

[panzerkunst.livejournal.com]

Curtatone - sounds like an evil robot. How apropos.

So...do we just not pay them now? Or do we have to call in or mail something?

Re:

[herr-burren.livejournal.com]

I agree completely. They have gotten very aggressive, and over the past year have towed in situations where heretofore they would have simply issued a ticket. There have got to be better ways of supplementing the city budget.