Handicapped-parking fine rising to $250 in Phoenix

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Handicapped-parking fine rising to $250

Higher cost starts Sunday in Phoenix

http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/0629phx-

parking0630.html

Audrie Garrison

The Arizona Republic

Beginning Sunday, you'll have to shell out a lot more money if you

illegally park in a handicapped space in Phoenix.

The fine will go up to $250 for each infraction from $140. The City

Council made that decision in April.

" It's going to be a financial deterrent to keep people from parking

illegally, " said Phoenix police Detective Walter Olsen, who lobbied

for the change.

Ward, a Phoenix resident whose 21-year-old son uses a

wheelchair, said he often finds parking lots frustrating because of

a lack of handicapped parking. Because he needs to use a power lift

and a ramp, he has to go to a driveway area with a sidewalk ramp

when a handicapped spot is not available.

" Just about every time (the spots are full) we look to see why that

person parked there, " he said. " There are usually quite a few that

don't have a handicapped placard. "

Also beginning Sunday, folks will be fined $500 for displaying a

handicap permit that has been altered or forged.

Olsen, the coordinator for the Accessibility Compliance Enforcement

Program, a volunteer organization that checks parking lots for

handicapped violations, began working on the issue about two years

ago. He found that Phoenix's current fee of $140 is much lower than

cities of comparable size and location.

For example, Tucson's fine is $518, and sdale's is $360.

Olsen partnered with the Mayor's Commission on Disability Issues and

the Equal Opportunity Department to lobby for the increase.