Nassau targets parking ticket scofflaws

Cash-strapped Nassau County is cracking down on scofflaws, aiming to collect as much as $16.2 million in unpaid parking tickets and red light violations from drivers with multiple violations.

Motorists owe more than $65 million in unpaid tickets dating to 1987. But the county is focusing on some 14,000 motorists who received three or more tickets in any 18-month period, and who haven't paid up.

Before the program goes into effect in July, Nassau will offer an amnesty program offering the chance to negotiate a reduced settlement.

But by the end of next month, the county plans to hire a contractor to begin booting or towing scofflaw vehicles.

"This will add some muscle to the municipality's ability to collect the monies they are owed," said Assemb. Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove), an advocate of the red-light camera program.

More than 10,000 vehicles have three or more unresolved parking summonses in Nassau, accounting for $15 million in unpaid tickets, according to the Traffic and Parking Violations Agency. Nearly 4,000 scofflaws have three or more red-light camera tickets and owe a combined $1.2 million. Motorists with two or fewer parking or red-light camera tickets owe nearly $49 million; they would not be subject to the boot-and-tow program.

Until now, the county has taken a hands-off approach in its collection of unresolved parking and traffic violations. Currently, individuals who fail to pay their tickets have their names turned over to a collection agency. The State Department of Motor Vehicles will also not renew the registration of drivers classified as scofflaws.

Many of the unpaid tickets span Republican and Democratic county administrations. John Marks, executive director of NCTPVA, said there was a large debt from unpaid tickets when he took office and it has taken some time to develop a new enforcement mechanism.

Asked why Nassau had never attacked the backlog more aggressively, Brian Nevin, spokesman for Republican County Executive Edward Mangano, said: "You'd have to ask the prior administration. This initiative was included in our first budget." The administration of Democrat Thomas Suozzi began a boot and tow program in 2003, though Suozzi declined to talk about the program Wednesday night.

Under the new program, violators who leave their car at any Nassau public parking location, including streets, could return to find a locked boot on a wheel of their vehicle, said Marks. The vehicle owner would have to pay the tickets before receiving a pass code to unlock the boot. The program will not apply to cars parked on private property. In other instances, vehicles may be towed to a private lot. The county has not determined when it will use a boot or a tow truck, he said.

The contract will not cost taxpayers any money as the boot-and-tow provider will be compensated through a fee paid by violators, Marks said.

Marks said that while the program is not aimed specifically at helping to close the county's $176 million deficit, "If this helps the county's economy, that's great."

The Nassau Interim Finance Authority took control of the county's finances in January and in March declared a fiscal emergency, preventing all scheduled wage hikes.

Nevin said the scofflaw program was designed "to enforce the law and to provide for a stronger deterrent," not as a deficit-reducer. However, the county recently asked the state legislature for approval to double its red-light camera program to 100 intersections. Mangano has said youth service programs could be slashed without the camera revenue.

CATCHING NASSAU SCOFFLAWS

OWED: $15 million from more than 10,000 scofflaws with three or more violations in 18 months; $1.2 million from nearly 4,000 vehicles.

PAYING UP: Officials plan to announce an amnesty program that will last for six to eight weeks. Ticket payments may be made by phone at (516) 572-2389. Checks also may be mailed to the Nassau County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency, 16 Cooper St., Hempstead, N.Y. 11550.

BOOT-AND-TOW

PROGRAM: Scofflaws who don't resolve their tickets will be subject to booting and/or towing. An outside contractor hired by the county will search for scofflaw vehicles parked in public locations. License plate-scanning technology will be used; in some instances, the contractor may follow an individual from his or her home and then boot the vehicle after it's parked on public property.

SOURCE: NASSAU COUNTY EXECUTIVE