The Detroit City Council is considering a plan to reudce parking ticket fines by half, but only for Detroit residents.
The plan would reduce $45 tickets for parking meter and no-parking-zone violations by 50% if city residents pay within five days, reports Christine Ferretti of The Detroit News:
City officials say the proposal aims to improve fine collections and give a break to residents of a city that's poverty rate is around 40 percent. But legal observers warn the plan would create trouble for the city and open it up to litigation.
"It continues to be a barrier for Detroit residents, especially low-income residents needing to come downtown and transact business and partake in activities," Council President Pro Tem Mary Sheffield said. "This will provide some relief."
Gerald Fisher, an emeritus professor with Western Michigan University's Cooley Law School who has four decades of experience in municipal law, tells the paper: "You can't treat outsiders and insiders differently on public streets. Especially if they are state highways or county roads."
