Contesting a parking ticket can be an arduous process in Philadelphia -- just ask anyone who’s ever gone through the process -- but that could soon change.
Councilman Bill Green is expected to introduce a bill Thursday that would modernize the appeals process by allowing drivers to challenge parking violations online, by mail or by fax, reports the Philadelphia Daily News.
Last year about 1.6 million parking tickets were issued in Philly and Green is trying to make it easier to challenge tickets that may have been issued unjustly or in error.
"We want to make it as easy for citizens to appeal an enforcement action as it is for the PPA or the city agency to issue the ticket," Green told the Daily News.
Currently drivers have to mail in an appeal and in many case have to show up to the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication - Parking Violations Branch to challenge a ticket. In many cases the hassle and possible added costs of arguing a ticket -- e.g. taking time off from work -- leads people to just pay a ticket even if they would normally fight the violation, according to the Daily News.
Other city violation appeals could also be modernized.
Councilman Bobby Henon plans on introducing a similar bill of his own that would allow people to contest License & Inspections and Streets Departments by fax, mail or phone, the Daily News reports.
