Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Parking in Springfield remains free — in fact, the city is removing the meters. But fines for overtime parking and other infractions are doubling.
“We have our businesses who are struggling,” said Ald. Lakeisha Purchase. “They are continuously asking us, how can we help them to receive more parking, when we have people double-parking, excessively parking past their timelines. We have to do something.”
“The parking fine is ten dollars if you stay beyond the zoned time frame,” said Mayor Misty Buscher. “This will increase it to twenty dollars. If you are beyond the zone, you can avoid the violation by not being in a space beyond the timed allotment that is there in that area.”
Ald. Roy Williams says the new policies could backfire. “We need to keep the cars moving. Do we have complaints from people saying that everybody is parked there all day or all along? (Purchase: “Yes.”) Because my fear is once we raise it, we may get less cars. Or less traffic. There’s no guarantee that by raising this, we are going to make it better. It could go worse. People could say, well, I ain’t even going to bother with it.”
Ald. Shawn Gregory joined Williams in voting against the new fines.
