Revenue soars from parking fines
23 March, 2010
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Councillor Helen Abrahams, The Gabba Ward, believes Council figures showing the revenue from parking fines has increased by almost 40% in one year is damming evidence that the Lord Mayor is using fines to raise revenue.
Official questions lodged by Labor Councillors revealed the increases in fines netted Cr Newman an extra $4.132 million from parking fines between 2007/08 and 2008/09.
“The shop owners in Woolloongabba and West End daily takings have dropped dramatically as parking meters and parking fines are keeping people away from their shopping strips” said Councillor Abrahams
“The parking meters are constantly monitored so fines from overstaying are soaring” said Cr Abrahams
“Everyone except the Lord Mayor looses from this ‘grab for cash” said Cr Abrahams
The business owner are suffering as their customers are fearful of being fined so they go elsewhere. Drivers are returning to their vehicles to find a $100 fine on the windscreen.”
“This fear is a real as there were 67,771 more parking fines issued last financial year compared to the year before” said Cr Abrahams
“Cr Newman is using parking fines as blatant revenue-raisers, without any application of common sense or compassion.”
“These fines are nothing but opportunistic cash-grabs, and show that Cr Newman will stop at nothing to drive his hands even deeper into the pockets of Brisbane residents,” she said.
In December last year, Cr Newman increased a huge range of parking fines from $75 to $100 across the board.
Residents in The Gabba Ward are reporting parking fines being issued in the middle of the night outside their own homes. Council officers are working 24 hours a day and fining residents as they sleep.
End 23rd March
Contact Helen Abrahams, Phone 0414 514 990
Fast Facts:
An official Question on Notice lodged by Labor Opposition Councillors revealed:
• Fines issued for illegal parking increased from 188,840 in 2007/08 to 256,511 in 2008/09 (increase of 67,671 or 35.8%)
• Revenue from illegal parking increased from $10,993,890 in 2007/08 to $15,126,160 in 2008/09 (increase of $4,132,270 or 37.6%)