Portland, MultCo courts to share proceeds from parking fines

PORTLAND, Ore. - Multnomah County Circuit Court has approved a "standard" increase in fines for most parking violations throughout Portland. Most increases go into effect Nov. 30, 2009.

The court also allowed a new violation and fine for citizens who use a City Council-approved "auxiliary vehicular lane" within Portland's downtown transit mall. Parking or stopping in that auxiliary vehicular lane now has a $245 fine.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation's parking enforcement manager, Nolan Mackrill, tells a KATU reporter that this new fine amount is "consistent with the fines for moving violations in the transit mall," Mackrill said. "For example, making a right turn from the vehicle travel lane across the bus or light-rail lanes is prohibited, and the fine is $250."
 
Beginning Nov. 30, all parking violation fines will increase by $10 per violation, with some notable exceptions:

• Parking in a disabled zone without a valid permit will increase from $190 to $450;
• Parking at a fire hydrant will increase from $100 to $150;
• Blocking a handicapped-access ramp will increase from $150 to $210;
• Unlawful use of a disabled parking permit will increase from $450 to $720;
• Overtime parking will not increase until Jan. 4, 2010, "out of consideration for the holiday," said Mackrill.

The overtime parking fine will remain at $24 through the holidays and on Jan. 4, 2010, will increase to $34. City officials said this is still below the average of $43.75 for cities comparable to Portland, such as Denver, Long Beach, Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Seattle, and Tucson.
 
Portland Bureau of Transportation authorities officially say they recommended the increases "to address the trends of rising parking violations, to cover costs of service, and to maintain a fine schedule that aligns with similar metropolitan jurisdictions."

The increases are expected to net the City of Portland around $500,000 in additional General Transportation Revenue. That's after the court, meanwhile, takes the first 60 percent of all parking fees collected.

The City’s Disabled Parking Task Force also pushed for increased bite to its fines. Task force leaders asked the Court for maximum bail amounts for those parking in a disabled zone - on or off the street - without a permit and those unlawfully using a disabled parking permit. The request was apparently approved.

“Every individual can avoid the consequences of this bail increase simply by obeying the parking laws,” Mackrill said.

He advises motorists to take a moment after parking to read the signs, display their permits and parking receipts properly, and ensure their vehicle is legally parked within space markings and not blocking crosswalks, hydrants, ramps, and other rights of way.
 
The last increase in fines for parking violations occurred in July 2006. Prior to that increase, Multnomah County Circuit Court had not increased fines for overtime violations since October 1998, and for other parking violations since March 2000.

Once a City of Portland parking officer issues a citation, the citation becomes the property of Multnomah County Circuit Court, according to the city's Web site.

The City of Portland's parking violation and bail schedule.