City Loses $86M In Unpaid Parking Tickets Due To 'Scofflaws'
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A city audit says Los Angeles' Department of Transportation has failed to collect millions in unpaid parking tickets by not aggressively pursuing ticket "scofflaws."
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City Controller Wendy Greuel released an audit Tuesday that found parking officers issued citations instead of calling for a boot or having repeat offenders' cars impounded.
The audit says the department also failed to use license plate recognition equipment to catch regular parking violators with five or more unpaid tickets.
Department of Transportation Interim General Manager Amir Sedadi says the scofflaw unit was temporarily disbanded to fill about 50 civilian traffic officer vacancies.
He says his department will catch any outstanding scofflaws.
Greuel's report says owners of vehicles with more than five open citations owed a combined $86 million to the city.
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