It seems St. George isn’t the only city that views drivers as portable checkbooks. New York collected $624 million in parking fees last year – 64% more than 2002 :
But through interviews with experts and a review of nearly 10 million parking tickets issued last year, a portrait emerges of how the city, increasingly starved for revenue, has energetically raised money and moved traffic by increasing the number and cost of tickets it issues each year.
The city did away with a 5 minute grace period because they claimed meter clocks were timed to the “atomic clocks”… but alas:
But a television reporter for Fox 5 News, John Deutzman, was able to establish, on one day this year, that some of the devices were more than two minutes fast.
They claim it is about “safety” but It is all about the $.
I’m glad St. George doesn’t yet go nuts on parking, although I’ve had anecdotal reports of police getting frisky over unhitched trailer parking.