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Parking Amnesty Program Nets $116,000

By Jenna Carlesso

March 22, 2011

Three weeks into its amnesty program, the Hartford Parking Authority has collected roughly $116,000 from drivers with outstanding parking tickets.

Since March 1, the authority has allowed anyone with unpaid tickets to pay the original fine -- typically about $25 -- with no additional penalties, saving some drivers as much as $89. It's the first time the authority has run such a program, and its chief executive officer is happy with the results so far.

"We've gotten a great response both in volume and in reaction from individuals taking advantage of this one-time program," said Mark McGovern, head of the parking authority.

McGovern has said the authority is hoping to take in about $200,000 from the program, which ends March 31.

"We're not there yet but we're on our way," he said Tuesday. "We feel good about our estimate and we believe we'll meet our goal."

So far, McGovern said, more than 10,000 parking tickets have been discharged through the program. When the program started, the authority had a backlog of about 265,000 unpaid tickets, totaling $18 million, he said.

About 70 percent of tickets issued are for meter violations, which result in a $25 fine, McGovern said.

Notices about the amnesty program have been mailed to those with outstanding tickets. To take advantage of the program, drivers can pay their fine by mail or in person at the authority's parking management office on Market Street.

To find out if a license plate number is in the authority's ticket database, drivers should call 860-757-0883.