Florida: City to Seize Homes Over a $5 Parking Ticket

[mvpel]

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/16/1664.asp

3/22/2007
Florida: City to Seize Homes Over a $5 Parking Ticket
Brooksville, Florida proposes to foreclose homes and seize cars over less than $20 in parking tickets.

The city council in Brooksville, Florida voted this week to advance a proposal granting city officials the authority to place liens and foreclose on the homes of motorists accused of failing to pay a single $5 parking ticket. Non-homeowners face having their vehicles seized if accused of not paying three parking offenses.

According to the proposed ordinance, a vehicle owner must pay a parking fine within 72 hours if a meter maid claims his automobile was improperly parked, incurring tickets worth between $5 and $250. Failure to pay this amount results in the assessment of a fifty-percent "late fee." After seven days, the city will place a lien on the car owner's home for the amount of the ticket plus late fees, attorney fees and an extra $15 fine. The fees quickly turn a $5 ticket into a debt worth several hundred dollars, growing at a one-percent per month interest rate. The ordinance does not require the city to provide notice to the homeowner at any point so that after ninety days elapse, the city will foreclose. If the motorist does not own a home, it will seize his vehicle after the failure to pay three parking tickets.

Any motorist who believes a parking ticket may have been improperly issued must first pay a $250 "appeal fee" within seven days to have the case heard by a contract employee of the city. This employee will determine whether the city should keep the appeal fee, plus the cost of the ticket and late fees, or find the motorist not guilty. Council members postponed a decision on whether to reduce this appeal fee until final adoption of the measure which is expected in the first week of April.

The full text of the ordinance is available in a 605k PDF file at the source link below.

Source: Ordinance No. 743 (Brooksville, Florida City Council, 3/19/2007)

[Raineyrocks]

Oh my gosh, everyday it's getting more and more friggin ridiculous!     I hate reading the news anymore but I also can't bury my head in the sand.  It's time for a REVOLUTION!

[Raineyrocks]

Hey Mvpel,  is that a picture of you?  If so you remind me of Jack from 3's company, I think it's John Ritter!

[David]

I remember reading when I think it was the montana militia or the patriot types were putting liens on various gov't critters.  I originally thought they were compromizing their integrity.  but if someone violates or threatens your life property or liberty, you do have a natural right to retaliate, or defend yourself.  Since it is downright dangerous to defend yourself from a gov't persons attempted shakedown for money, and strategically unwise because violence against the gov't only makes it grow.  Maybe the lien idea is a useful idea, as a form of retaliation.  Still strategically unwise, but not as dangerous.   

[LiveFree]

Wow...  Just wow...  Can we say "gross government abuse" anyone?  That's torch and pitchfork, angry mob, tar and feather, string 'em up type crap, right there.

That just goes to show that protection from seizure of property merely by "due process of law" is not enough, and really needs to be specifically protected at least by trial of jury.

[Russell Kanning]

it really shows who the government thinks owns your house

[Quantrill]

How long 'til that city council gets liens placed on their homes?

[KBCraig]

Hey Mvpel,  is that a picture of you?  If so you remind me of Jack from 3's company, I think it's John Ritter!

Looks more like Alec Baldwin to me. 

John Ritter was Mary's cousin. Tex and Mary's grandmother were first cousins, so that would make Mary and John 2nd cousins once removed. I think. Lloyd?

Back to the topic: yeah, that's a good example of how government greed and lust for power drive so many things.

[Pat McCotter]

Brooksville, FL
How to Contact the City of Brooksville

201 Howell Avenue
Brooksville, FL 34601-2041

(352) 544-5400 - Customer Service
(352) 544-5433 - Customer Service Fax

Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public-records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.

Email the City of Brooksville
or try our Email Directory

[aries]

Isn't this ordinance public record? Anyone got a link?

[Raineyrocks]

Hey Mvpel,  is that a picture of you?  If so you remind me of Jack from 3's company, I think it's John Ritter!

Looks more like Alec Baldwin to me. 

John Ritter was Mary's cousin. Tex and Mary's grandmother were first cousins, so that would make Mary and John 2nd cousins once removed. I think. Lloyd?

Back to the topic: yeah, that's a good example of how government greed and lust for power drive so many things.

Wow, that's neat!      

[Lloyd Danforth]

Hey Mvpel,  is that a picture of you?  If so you remind me of Jack from 3's company, I think it's John Ritter!

Looks more like Alec Baldwin to me. 

John Ritter was Mary's cousin. Tex and Mary's grandmother were first cousins, so that would make Mary and John 2nd cousins once removed. I think. Lloyd?

Back to the topic: yeah, that's a good example of how government greed and lust for power drive so many things.

My mother's cousins are my cousins once removed.  Add a generation and I guess you get twice removed.  I don't have a lot of relatives, but, as a genealogist,  I can 'make' them!
Not really.....I lied, but, I have found three cousins, from a previous marriage of my grandfather's. They are my contemporaries and have the same relationship to my grandfather that I do, but, I don't know what kind of 'cousin' they are.

[cathleeninnh]

Kevin is correct. Second cousins once removed. If you line up the generations, Mary's grandparent lines up with Tex and are 1st cousins. Mary's parent lines up with John and are second cousins. Mary is once removed from the second cousins line.

Cathleen

[Raineyrocks]

Geesh, that genealogy stuff is really confusing!  No wonder I only talk to my immediate family.

[Pat McCotter]

Isn't this ordinance public record? Anyone got a link?

Just a link to the Notice of Public Hearing. There is no verbage on the ordinance itself. That would have to be got at the city clerk's office.

http://www.ci.brooksville.fl.us/notices/743%20-%20Parking%20Notice.pdf