The city of Binghamton will give parking ticket scofflaws a few weeks to settle their affairs before launching a crackdown.Mayor Richard David said the city now is owed $1,024,065 by people who haven't bothered to pay their parking tickets. He said there are 19,422 unpaid tickets on the books.

Deadbeats will get a letter warning them to pay up. The mayor said during the month of September, the city will let scofflaws pay 75 percent of the outstanding balance they owe during a one-time amnesty program.

In October, the city plans to publicize the names of deadbeats along with the number of tickets they've accumulated and how much they owe. The city is seeking permission from the state Department of Motor Vehicles to publish the identities of scofflaws.

The city also intends to turn over the names to a collection agency. The agency would keep about one-third of whatever penalties it recovers.

David said the city is going to step up its use of a "boot" device to immobilize vehicles owned by parking ticket deadbeats.

 

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