The district is known for being pretty aggressive when it comes to doling out parking tickets, and challenging a ticket can be a hassle, but soon motorists will have new options for fighting back.
D.C. issues almost 2 million parking tickets each year and collects about $85 million in fines.
Mayor Vincent Gray said he signed legislation that later this year will create an ombudsman who can hear ticket appeals and order changes. The law also gives motorists more time to appeal and requires hearing examiners to act on cases rather than sit on them.
“We want people to feel like, in the course of us enforcing the law, that they have options that are available to them that will help them deal with both the emotional reaction and the practical reality of getting a parking ticket,” Gray said.
The new ombudsman’s office could be running later this year.
