Parking ticket surcharge on rocky ground in Philadelphia

It appears a parking ticket surcharge passed by Philadelphia City Council doesn’t have support of the mayor.

The City Council passed bill would add $4 to the cost of a parking ticket. Two dollars would go to parks and recreation and the rest to the Parking Authority to pay for additional taxi and limousine enforcement. Mayor Nutter’s press secretary Mark McDonald won’t guarantee a veto, but says the city solicitor doesn’t think the measure is legal.

“During testimony in June, the administration made it very clear that based on a city solicitor’s opinion, this legislation is illegal and unenforceable,” said McDonald.

McDonald says council cannot designate funds for certain programs. It’s the commonwealth, not the city, that can add a surcharge for parking meters.

“That is something that is set by the legislature and City Council does not have the authority nor does the city have the authority to do that,” he said. “Secondly the legislation creates a problem with the city charter in that it would require these monies to go to a specific program.”

Mayor Nutter has until council returns from summer recess in mid-September to decide on whether he will veto the bill.