Does L.A. need more parking tickets?

Every time somebody pays their city of Los Angeles parking ticket, about 12% of the fine is owed to the state of California. Additional money is also paid to an independent contractor to process the tickets.

However, a large number of parking tickets go unpaid. KNX News’ Craig Fiegener reported that Brian Hale, L.A.’s parking chief, is fighting to keep funding for his department.

Hale attended the city’s ongoing budget hearings to argue that his department needs funding to hire 56 additional parking enforcement and traffic control officers. More parking enforcement means more parking tickets, which means more revenue for the city.

Hale said parking enforcement officers are an important revenue stream for the city, with each officer bringing in approximately $191,000 a year.

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A full-time parking enforcement officer currently earns $22.78 an hour – or just over $47,000 a year.

He said that if budget cuts hit his department, he’ll be faced with a $7 million deficit.

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