BOSTON (WHDH) - Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia proposed new legislation on Wednesday that would implement income-adjusted parking ticket fines to assist low-income families.
The Boston City Council met to discuss Mejia’s proposal, which calls for an income-based sliding scale to determine how much a resident pays for a ticket.
Mejia announced the idea on social media last week, writing in a tweet, “I am introducing legislation on income-adjusting parking tickets so low-income families don’t have to decide between paying a parking ticket or putting food on their table.”
Mejia doesn’t believe people should get away without paying for tickets but said she does understand how expensive it can be, especially when late fees kick in.
During the meeting, Mejia stated that she struggled to pay a $159 ticket when she started her job as City Councillor at Large in 2020.
“I don’t think that people should just get away from paying their fees,” she said. “I think that we need to find ways to make it easier for people to pay that debt.”
Councillor Matt O’Malley spoke out against the proposal, telling fellow councilors that he’s “not sure if this is the right approach.”
The proposal will next be heard by the Boston Committee on City Services.
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