Richmond council to consider towing-fee increase
Parking illegally in Richmond could soon get more expensive.
The City Council is set to vote tomorrow on proposals that would increase the rates that towing companies can charge to remove vehicles from private property, as well as the city's fines for unauthorized parking in handicap zones.
The maximum towing fee would be raised to $125 from $65 to match the price allowed under state code. The state rate applies only if localities don't cap their own rates.
The fine for parking without a valid permit in a space reserved for disabled users or in front of a ramp for disabled users would jump to $200 from $100. Officials expect the higher fine would generate an additional $50,000 to $70,000 annually for the city.
Despite the city's $65 cap, some towing companies have been charging excessive fees when they remove and store illegally parked vehicles from private property.
The city's Advisory Board for the Assessment of Towing Fees and Storage of Vehicles is recommending an increase in light of operators' costs for taxes, equipment, gas and insurance. The city's rates have been set for the past 10 years.
The proposal also would allow towing operators to increase the daily storage fee to $35 from $20 after the first 24-hour period and allow a $30 administrative fee for vehicles not retrieved within 72 hours. It also would clarify what fees would apply if the owner of a vehicle arrives when it already has been picked up but is not yet towed.
The city's towing rates apply when vehicles are towed from private property in the city, regardless of where the operator is based.
The council's new 7th District representative, Cynthia I. Newbille, is expected to be sworn in to start the meeting. She succeeds interim Councilwoman Betty L. Squire, who was appointed early this year after Delores L. McQuinn resigned when she won a special election to represent the 70th District in the House of Delegates.
Contact Will Jones at (804) 649-6911 or
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Reader Reactions
Just one more reason for me not to venture into the city or do business there.
Man, for a city that is constantly trying to devise plans to encourage people to visit, this certainly does not sound like an inviting plan. If parking is so out of hand, why not put forth an effort to provide additional parking so that folks can find legal, affordable, and available parking more readily. Not everyone knows the city like the back of their hand. Does someone on City Council have an interest in a towing company?
Most of these “private properties” are apartment complexes that don’t bother to post instructions telling people, with legitimate reasons to park in their lots, where to go to get a parking permit.
These people include social workers, home health care workers (which I was for 12 years) delivery people, etc.
These companies go out “trolling” these lots, not making any effort whatsoever to ascertain if the cars sre there legitimately, nor paying attention to signs in the window stating their business.
I arrived at one of these places one day to find a gentleman screaming into his cell phone, asking the person on the other end to contact the towing company and to tell them that if his car wasn’t returned in ten minutes that he would be swearing out a warrant for Grand Theft Auto against them.
When I came back out to the lot, 15 minutes later, his car was just being brought back to him, and sure enough, hanging there on the back of the turned down visor, was a sign stating the reason for visit to the apartments;
“Police Business”
They’d towed a car clearly marked as a police car!
The increased fee is only for persons whose cars are towed for parking without permission on private property. The law requires signs with specific language before towing can occur. There is no evidence that the towing companies are not already making a profit at the current rates and without that, there is no cause to give them an increase. And what’s with this deviant stuff? Illegal parking may be deliberate, discourteous, or just plain dumb, but certainly not deviant. Gouging citizens who make an honest mistake, charging fees much greater than actual costs, or illegally towing when the proper signage is not in place are a lot closer to being deviant. The fees should not be increased without thorough analysis and reasonable justification. Charging the max allowed by state code is not justification, it is a careless pretext for giving an undeserved increase.
So , dc, you’re saying that you believe the towing companies, that have committed crimes by over charging, essentially stealing form people, should be rewarded by getting increased rates?
What would you propose for people committing grand theft auto? A free car?
The answer is simple; Don’t park illegally and you won’t have to worry about how much they charge. It’s always funny to see how many jokers come out and gripe about fines or fees associated with deviant behavior. I agree that towing rates should rise. As expenses rise, so should the compensation to these companies that provide a service. I would also like to see a rise in civil penalties. Yes, that means being charged twice for the same parking infraction. The city could benefit from the extra income and maybe cut some homeowners slack on their personal property tax bill by lowering the rate.
Of course, this is exactly what should be done! Instead of permanently banning the towing companies that have been committing crimes against the citizens of Richmond by overcharging, reward them for this illegal behavior by giving them rate increases!
Can anyone think of any reason for this bizarre behavior on City Council’s part unless money is illegally changing hands?
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