Letter: Angry about parking ticket
Publisher’s note: This letter was sent to South Lake Tahoe officials and then the author asked for it to be published on Lake Tahoe News.
The City Officials of South Lake Tahoe,
I am a new resident of Nevada. I reside in (Southern) Nevada. I recently visited Lake Tahoe for the first time ever on July 7, 2013, and received a very unwelcoming welcome to your city, in the form of a parking ticket.
Minutes after arriving in town, my boyfriend and I went down to the beach to see the sunset and to grab a bite to eat at the Beachhouse Restaurant.
We parked along the fence next to the restaurant. There were no signs indicating that this was a paid parking area. I took pictures that show very clearly that there were no visible signs to pay for parking, in front of my car, nor were there signs to the left or right of my car, nor were there any signs in front of the car parked to my right. Nothing.
Shame on you South Lake Tahoe for purposely creating a parking ticket trap for tourists. I did some simple math, using conservative figures, based on my ticket fine of $55. I figured that you are probably making over $100,000 in revenue per year, for the city, from parking ticket fine … just in that one location.
I appealed my ticket online based on the fact that: The city is negligent in their lack of sign postings. How can you expect folks to see the signs that are so far and few between, with SUVS, vans, and vehicles parked along the fence, blocking the signs from view?
The appeal process online only allowed me to upload one photo. I had three photos which clearly showed no visible signs that could be seen from my SUV in any direction.
As I had said in my appeal, I am not a chancer or a cheater, nor am I a wealthy person. If I had seen a sign that required me to pay for parking, I would have and I should have been able to upload more than one photo in my defense online. The appeals board upheld their decision, and I must pay $55. I never even had a chance.
Shame on you South Lake Tahoe for purposely creating a money-making trap, penalizing hard working people out of their hard earned money, that they had intended to spend on their vacation in your city.
The city should post signs in front of every parking space clearly indicating that this is a paid parking space.
Stop cheating tourists out of their money by issuing bogus parking tickets.
Do the right thing. Make signs visible and put them in front of every parking space.
Sharon Resnick, Southern Nevada
How’s the City gonna make any money if they warn the suckers . . . . er, welcome visitors?
Is the appeals board she mentions the Southern California company that sold SLT (and many other towns) on this scam? Or is that something else the City Council appointed itself to?
Sharon, if the ticket was NOT written by a city employee, that is by a outside contracted business, it is invalid and the city has committed a possible felony. Check carefully to determine who wrote the ticket. A employee number next to the name does not necessarily indicate a city employee.
Thanks to Susan’s write up I have had dinner at the Beachhouse a couple of times recently. They have at least three signs posted warning people of the paid parking and the $55.00 fine. No charge for bike parking!
Sharon, you wont have the same problem on the Nevada side or on North shore. Stay there.
This is awful. Sharon tried to do something about it, unfortunately to no avail.
Think of hundreds of people who will not come back and tell hundreds of others. The city should refund Sharon with a sincere apology.
I also went to the beach house rest. For food last weekend. I too got a $55 ticket because I did not see the signs. I am a local and never had to pay to park before
This will directly affect the beach house as I will not go there again.
The signs were not clearly marked or visible
Shame on whomever’s bad idea this was.
That’s not what Tahoe is about as a whole.
Ah, the law of unintended consequences strikes again. It seems to hover around bureaucracies, waiting for victims.
The City’s parking meter program on Venice is a similar disaster. Fewer cars, fewer people enjoying Cove East, adverse impact on adjoining residential neighborhood, visitors and locals returning to their cars to find $55 parking tickets, what a way to treat people.
Well written letter and expresses the views of all the locals too. There were only a few places as a local that I could go watch the sunset without paying parking. The city has greedily gobbled all those up and now there are none. Now the saying “poverty with a view” has an even deeper meaning. Shame on you city officials. Admit this was a bad idea and remove these things and let us park for free in a few places. We want people to leave here with good memories not feeling like they’ve been taken advantage of.
Where is the Beachhouse Restaurant? What street is it on?
I felt the exact same way when I was ticketed last year while stopped in my car (with the engine running) I was taking a photo of the lake to share on Lake Tahoe’s Alive. When I appealed, it was turned down since they claimed I was parked in a no parking zone. This was on Regan Beach at a dead end street. Hope more people stand up to this insanity, it is not a very nice way to treat our tourists or locals who are trying to promote tourism in Lake Tahoe for FREE!
Steven: The Beach House Restaurant is located at Lakeside Beach near the Stateline.
I hope this author sent the letter to the City Manager. She commented at a recent City Council meeting about how successful the paid parking program is and they haven’t had any complaints.
Reminds me of the CHP waiting in Meyers to give speeding tickets.
@Advocate: funny, isn’t it, how officials never seem to be aware of problems? Just like how the official at the Van Sickle Bi-State Park had been completely unaware of any coyote attacks on dogs till about two weeks ago. He must have never spoken to the couple who caretake the property. They warn people all the time. But then, some people actually want to know about problems, and too many political types do not.
I believe city officials are aware of the issues with the parking tickets. Please remember that their budget was contingent upon their staff issuing approx. 3,000 tickets to make the plan work which included using those ticket funds to hire 2.5 employees to write the tickets.
As for the businesses that are losing revenue and having their employees inconvenienced….. perhaps you should stand up at the next city election and vocally support candidates that are against this program rather than be passive and do nothing.
I am sad to hear about your experience. When the City cites revenue generated by these parking fees and tickets I hope they understand that this same revenue will represent the quantity of visitors and locals put off by these new parking fees.
What the new parking fees have done is push locals to park further away from their destination blocking access to local businesses while adding expense to those visiting Tahoe. These parking fees are causing more congestion while offending those visiting Tahoe.
I hope this fiasco can be reversed in the near future. When will the City recognize that those visiting Tahoe are trying to get away from City parking fees and looking for a low cost get away? It seems like the majority of locals have opposed this from the start and yet the program was implemented anyway. I would love to hear the logic of implementing a parking program that was dropped in both Reno and Truckee with project revenue not being realized. Are we on a mission to both waste tax payer dollars and offend our locals and visitors?
My two cents.
-Scott
The parking fee can be paid by credit card or quarters or dollar coins. What kind of dollar coins, Eisenhower 1971 to 1978,
Susan B. Anthony 1979 to 1999, Sacagawea 2000 to date, Presidential 2007 to 2016? Does the city know the answer???
Why not put our efforts into promoting public transportation and utilize modern technology like trams, lifts, monorails, and buses… Build a nice parking garage in meyers where there is wasted property ( old tveetens) Discourage parking altogether?… Oh wait I remember now we cator to places like Carson city and Gardnerville instead! … And we can’t figure out a way to utilize the garage we have!… Which brings to mind another point… Why is it the Heavenly ski patrol party is the only one of its kind each year on top of the garage? Wouldn’t it be an easy way to pay for that thing if we had music and attractions up there on a regular basis?… Oh I get it now.. Lets piss of our locals and people that come here instead and trick them into paying a fine for simply trying to have a nice dinner or go to the beach instead… That sounds like a great idea… Can’t wait to hear more of these innovative ideas to come!
Here’s the real problem: I’m sure Sharon is not the only one appalled by such “success” the City claims for its’ parking ‘solution’ to their own cash flow problem – but given the demographic of the visitors we want to “attract”, most will simply pay (hooray!!) the ticket and then not come back. . . a quiet death for the visitor market.
The other trap that all are aware of is the heavy-handed “appeals” process for a company not concerned about our local ‘attractivenss’: you must pay the ticket or it is liened on your upcoming registration.
So much for objectivity – it is the subjectivity of this experience that will be remembered, not the obviously missing notice or signs that people can feel a little more notified by. . .the first year is just as obviously not long enough to justify any claim of success – even if the “check is in the mail” to balance City books – on the backs of the very people that are our lifeblood, absent feelings of justice.
Sharon here, responding to comments above:
Thank you Lake Tahoe News for publishing my letter.
Thanks to all of you with your supportive comments.
Yes,I did initially send my letter, via email, to:
NANCY KERRY, CITY MANAGER OF SOUTH LAKE TAHOE.
She did not even give me a courtesy response.
The company that issued the ticket is:
The Citation Processing Center
P.O. Box 11024
Newport Beach, CA 92658
After I appealed my ticket on line, I received a form in the mail, notifying me that my appeal had been denied and to send payment. I mailed the form back with a copy of my 2012 W2 form, indicating that last year was not a good year for me….clearly low income.
They sent me back a form that I must produce documentation of monthly income, itemized list of monthly expenses: food, clothing, transportation, medical, dental, credit cards, net income, total assests itemized: cars, property, savings account, checking acct., cash on hand…etc
In other words, they make it very work intensive and time consuming to fulfill their requests…It wasn’t enough to send a 2012 W2 form clearly showing financial hardship…
So, I ended up sending a check in the mail. I was going to pay on line, but they would have charged almost $4.oo dollars more for a processing fee.
Also, the form had an ominous clause at the end, which stated that if your request for waiver is denied, I would be “liable to pay the full fine, hearing request would be denied, and PENALTIES WLL BE ADDED AND A HOLD WILL BE PLACED ON YOUR VEHICLE REGISTRATION AT CA DMV.”
Because it seemed so threatening, and the whole situation already felt stacked against me(all of us), my boyfriend and I just went ahead a sent a check to be done with it.
I have a feeling that no matter how thorough my records, documentation and proof of financial hardship would have been, they still would have denied my request again, and made life difficult for me, with added fines, penalties and a hold on my license.
I did take a picture of my check and payment stub before I mailed it, just in case….
I do not trust this company or the City of South Lake Tahoe to do the right thing.
Does the SLT City Manager live within the city limits? And pay the same higher taxes, fees, and surcharges as do city residents and taxpayers?
Steve, I am unaware of any taxes that are charged by the city except for a few bond measures passed by the voters years ago. Our sales taxes and permitting fees are about the same as any other city as well as the county.
Dear Ms. Resnick,
I apologize for the misguided and short-sighted policies of our town!! Many citizens tried to point out what a bad idea the paid parking program was, and we were ignored!
Perhaps, but I doubt, the powers that be will instead listen to the lifeblood of our economy, people such as yourself, tourists?!
I’m sorry you had to pay a parking fine on top of the ripoff charge for the beach and pretend food and service at the restaurant, … which 50 bucks was worse??! I lost more than that at harveys once in 10 seconds
I had the same experience in Oakland, CA last year – no signs within site of where I parked and a $55 ticket. It’s not just our town, but still no excuse. I had to chalk it up to a donation to the city of Oakland, just hope these fees and the bad vibes they cause cover more than just the cost to pay for the enforcement.
With the backing of the city, and the state, this collection company in Newport gets away with murder. They know that 90% of the people will just pay the fine rather than fight it. And their heavy handedness gives residents, and especially our visitors, a VERY bad taste in their mouth. Stuff like that makes people not want to come back. I was treated badly in Telluride, Colorado back in the ’80’s and I didn’t go back for 20 years. And I told people about it, too.
Word of mouth is powerful stuff.
Really need to look into how we can rescind this. There has to be some form of an initiative process.
Let our elected city council know of the complaints. The Mayor is against paid parking, convince the others they were wrong to back this expenditure of equipment, hiring more employees just to enforce this new mistreatment of both locals and tourists.
This wasn’t a parking problem needed to be solved. It was a revenue need which created a parking problem and animosity towards our city.
Why didn’t they look at other revenue sources? We have a TOT imposed on hotels and vacation rentals. I don’t believe the law is enforced for vacation rentals which are managed by the property owner. They rent their property but don’t collect the TOT and pay the city. Wouldn’t enforcing this “on the books” law have resulted in just as much revenue as the new paid parking without turning tourists away?
Fortunately I’m usually able to walk the distance to NOT pay for parking. Since the whole neighborhood near The Lakeside Beach Grill is Resident Permit parking, or pay, it’s too long of a walk for all but the most determined; we won’t be back after many years of good service from Zan & his crew. We gave up & went to Brook’s @ the Edgewood ~ the California side lost out again.
Based on Diana Hamilton’s comment, the city didn’t and won’t make any parking revenue from this person and didn’t make any citation revenue, the restaurant lost business to pay their employees and the city lost sales tax revenue while Nevada gained a new customer.
Where is the “WIN” in this?
Now what do you think that $55 ticket really cost the City of South Tahoe?
Well, for starters, that was $55 that won’t be spent in Tahoe. More than likely, poor Sharon won’t return – and can you blame her? She’ll likely return to Tahoe, but not to South Lake Tahoe.
But here’s the real rub – she’s going to tell her friends, neighbors & family about this experience, and guess what?
They’ll avoid South Lake Tahoe like the plague.
Huh. Cite, fine, abuse, badger and penalize visitors to SLT via parking tickets….
I want to reduce the number of cars in the basin, but I hadn’t considered an overt attack on tourists to accomplish it. That could work.
PAY UP PEOPLE, and stop the whining,
sharon resnick points out in here posting that last year was not good for her, It is ironic that it was great year for government employees, who do you think can get credit to buy all the great deals on second homes? Government employees.
That is why you guys need to pay up. You owe your government employees so much it is sickening.
They don’t care if you have a bad year PAY UP, and stop whining…
voters can resend this by getting a local proposition on the next ballet.
PORKED the new slogan for
America’s all year Playground
How much of that $55 did SLT get? and how much did the collection company get? Was the amount worth creating a negative experience for a tourist, that might never come back here again, and bad mouth our town to anyone that will listen?
Loyalty, earn it, preserve it ;)
GOOD SHOT LETS RUN OFF WHAT FEW PAYING CUSTOMERS WE HAVE LEFT
If any of the City Council (other than JoAnn since we know she does) reads these comments, they have to see that the public was and still is against their decision to install paid parking. Hopefully when it is reviewed this Fall, as the Mayor said it would be, they will see that the costs (financial and others) outweigh any revenue these kiosks might generate.
Listen to the residents, who have been screaming against this decision since the beginning and now the tourists who complain, but maybe not directly to you, and find another way to generate revenue.
Ego drives our city leaders not the best interest of the community. Mrs. Kerry not even responding is a prime example of what we are dealing with. Short sided ridiculous expenditures that cost the community in many ways. My father fought feverishly against this ridiculous idea, only to be ridiculed by Joann Conner. It’s hard to get a council that is competent because meetings are set when the competent business owners are working. How about meetings after 5:00? Can’t do that because it would inconvenience the 9:00-5:00 city staff. Do the right thing and remove the meters, get rid of the team of parking enforcement officers and spend the money promoting our city. Events other than snow globe could bring visitors year round. I’m not against snow globe, just not on New Years.
joby…your dad supported the majority of all of the people who voted Kerry in.
Pay up you surfs, and stop whining.
CJ, it’s serfs, not surfs. I do get your point though. The economic base of South Lake Tahoe is going to shift to having only wealthy (and most likely part time) owners. Another Vail Co. is how I hear it described. This area is way to nice to leave to the common folk. People who hold menial jobs can just live down in the Carson Valley. They can travel up and down the hill each day to serve the wealthy. The days of this town being a place for normal working class families ended when the casinos quit employing all but a skeleton crew. What will happen now is that Tahoe will become a playground for the elite. Edgewood and Heavenly will become the big employers (of part time low paying jobs) and the real estate will all be in the hands of the one percent. For decades South Shore lived off the overflow from the casinos. Now they have no idea how to generate the revenue to keep in place all the services they have. There used to be three classes of people here. The haves, the have nots, and the have a little want mores. Now it’s just the haves and have nots. Soon it will just be the haves.
Your government is focused on the wrong objective, itself. It is a symptom of what is wrong. Government has betrayed the people and so few people are smart enough to realize it.
America is the land of oppressive lies and it is devouring the future for us all. South Lake Tahoe is the poster child for all that is wrong with California and the cancer that is destroying America.
then take a hike CJ McCoy, maybe you will find your paradise somewhere else
City Council Members Davis, Laine and Swanson are up for re-election in 2014. Judging by the posts on this site there are obviously a lot of people who are very unhappy with the local government leadership. I’m hoping to see a lot of individuals running for those three City Council Member seats next year and offering up their ideas and expertise in solving all these City issues that are repeatedly referenced in these blogs. This is your chance to actually make a difference and lead the community in the direction where you believe it should go, and with three new Council Members you could end up having a majority vote of like-minded individuals.
Dryclean,
Get your facts straight. You have no clue who he supported or didn’t. What he did do, is attend every meeting regarding the proposed parking meters. Besides sitting behind your computer throwing jabs in the air, what did you do?
I attended the CASA Fundraiser at Lakeview Commons on Friday evening and parked at the Library to avoid the paid parking. I am not going to attend events when I have to pay to park and worry that I have enough time left before I get a ticket. I am not going to use a credit card to pay for $2.00 parking. The kiosk should be able to take dollar bills. The only reason we now have paid parking is that it is a cash cow for the city.
Who cares we don’t want those low income people coming to Tahoe anymore.
All we need is more billionaires’ from the brick countries. I hear they’re going to stand on the balconies of the new condos and through money to all of us.
There will not be a parking problem after the fireworks show on Sunday. There will not be any cars in those paid parking spots. Then we can look at our city council and ask are we making money yet! No more tickets for 9 months. I have also asked, how much does the city get of the $55.00 parking ticket?
all along I’ve said “one parking ticket costs the city immensely!” I received a ticket like this in Sac about 10 years ago. Never went back to spend any more money. Same is happening here. One thing is for sure, if I have ANY alternative for making a purchase other than SLTahoe, that is where I will be spending my money. You see, I advise my friends to go elsewhere because of these boneheaded decisions. What a waste!
Buck said “There will not be a parking problem after the fireworks show on Sunday. There will not be any cars in those paid parking spots.”
I should rent a flat bed truck to and pay for parking. Could load up a bunch of coolers and let all my friends walk down from the casinos and split the cost.
How do you think the city pays for the improvements it has made… Lake view commons is beautiful with awesome facilities… They need to be maintained somehow and I think the “pay for what you use” idea can and should be applied here… Paid parking helps cover those costs… As for the signs and ticket there could definitely be some improvements… But as someone who lives in tahoe I agree with the paid parking idea..
Chris, then why is the city charging for parking at a beach which costs them nothing (Lakeside).
That I unfortunately can’t answer… This year was a test and There needs to be some revisions and I definitely agree with that. But I agree with the general idea. I don’t know the situation at lake side but I know the one at el dorado very well. When they look at the situation in October those are the questions and issues that will be addresses. But I am still in agreement with using it as income for the city.
But Nancy Kerry says the program is going well and there have been no complaints. Don’t you folks listen?
We visited Tahoe and rented a boat at timber cove. Why ? Because we didn’t have to pay to park. You’re killing good will with your greedy parking meters.
I manage the Lakeside Beach House. Obviously the paid parking is horrible for business. All day, every day, we do our best to catch every customer on their way in the door and tell them they have to pay for parking. At least 50% have not seen the signs. Most people just get in their cars and leave.
The local casinos and hotels have started telling folks that it is better to walk down to the beach rather than drive down and park. In theory, this is good. However, a popular thing to do in Tahoe is come to Lakeside Beach and watch the sunset. But, most tourists do not realize that we do not have sidewalks or streetlights in South Lake Tahoe.
I personally have walked visitors from other countries back to their hotels because they were afraid.
The area by the construction of the new Landing hotel is very dark, and the street is cracked, sometimes with battening and construction materials on the side of it.
If an elderly tourist falls and breaks a rib or leg, who will be sued ? the city ? the hotel that sent them down and failed to tell them that it would be pitch dark on the way back up ?
Most guides to the US say it is safe, but not to walk alone in dark areas.. Just like the advice we get when we go abroad. In many countries they do not drive if they have had even one drink. So guests come out of the restaurant or off the beach and can not pay to leave a car overnight, even if they want to. They risk having the car towed, though it is not signed as no overnight parking, you can not buy an overnight pass.
It is not signed about what motorcycles are supposed to do. Its hard to put a sticker on a windshield if you don’t have one.
What about rental cars? Should they pay? No notice about that.
My employees leave the restaurant and walk up the hill to the casinos where they park, in the pitch dark most nights. If they fall or get robbed, who is liable?
Yesterday, we saw 5 cars parked on the street, they all had tickets. I had about 150 guests, at least 100 of them had walked down from the casinos or local hotels on the advice of the front desk clerks.
How is this making the city money, and at what cost to the good will and promotion of tourism at So. Lake ?
I hope the city can at least fix it so that is signed you have to pay and how to pay, in many parking spots no sign is visible.
A local came yesterday, saw the signs, put a few dollars in the machine, didn’t understand how it worked, put the sticker on the window but kept the bar code part. (She thought that later the bar code would go in the machine and she would pay the rest due,like it is done elsewhere.) She got a $55. ticket.
Do you think she’ll be telling guests that this is a good place to park ? She works as a bartender and she will be telling them to go elsewhere.
Lastly, why would the price double on Labor Day Monday when hardly anyone is left in town and be the regular price for firework Labor Day Sunday ?
Whoever designed the parking plan must not live in Tahoe, or must be a total idiot. I hope someone with some brains can think of a way to make some money off the tourists without driving people away from our lovely beaches…Maybe the casinos back the meter plan, it probably keeps people inside gambling where they don’t get distracted by the Lake.
We used to go to Lakeside Beach House A LOT during the summer. But we haven’t gone at all since the paid parking was implemented. I’m not going to pay each time to go…I will go somewhere else. I’m sorry – but not surprised – your business has been hurt by this parking plan, Judy!
We drove by there on Labor Day Sunday to show out of town guests the location. They also chose to not pay to park and we went elsewhere. While driving by, we observed many tickets being written. Happy Holiday weekend, indeed!
We also no longer go for our walks at Cove South. Used to go often – maybe twice a week. But I guess no one really cares…except those of us sad to lose yet another walking spot.
I will pay for an annual parking pass – priced nicely for locals. But I will not pay per time parking. Especially with kiosks that don’t take dollar bills!
I have heard city staff claim “it is a REMARKABLY profitable program with few complaints”. I look forward to the review. It feels we won’t be heard – no matter what the results.
Would like to be heard! that’s for sure.
Once again in 2014 city residents will have the opportunity to vote for whomever is perceived to be the lesser evil amongst the common people candidates that have no idea on the laws that they are governed by or how to make decisions on government matters that affect all. Each and every one of the final candidates will have their own agenda/special interest I.E. – lodging, vacation rentals, etc.
They will reap the benefit of their special interest if not while in office then after they lose reelection. The citizens don’t stand a chance under the current system.
GMAB:
Since you’ve made numerous remarks, among which was that the “citizens don’t stand a chance under the current system”, would you please explain what alternate system you would suggest.
Thank you.
My two cents…
I would suggest an annual pass for residents of Stateline and S.Lake.
I would suggest signs at every spot that are easy to see.
I would suggest that the machine take dollars.
I would suggest that the machines be shut down from Labor Day to Memorial Day.
I would put lighting on the meters so people can pay after dark, or better yet, have the paid parking stop at 6pm.
I would put in streetlights and sidewalks if the city really wants to be “green” and encourage walking.
Now that it’s getting dark at 8, our guests can’t read the meter to put money in it, if they see it at all.
I have had guests express concern about putting an ATM card in an unattended, street side card reader.
How do they know that a thief won’t steal their information ? If the meter has some kind of tamper proof capability, that should be noted.
FYI, I am going through over $30.a day in quarters providing change for guests.
I had to turn away guests last night because we ran out by the end of the day.
How can this be a good thing ???
Judy Snight,
I would suggest that you stay away from South Lake Tahoe. Lots of more classier and friendly places to visit.
Judy, its a bad thing for everyone. Its also bad for the city, but the people on the council don’t have any economics education. So the whole concept of financial incentives is lost on them.
I agree, just go to Nevada or the Forest Service beaches. I think the city is plenty friendly, but there is no reason to go through the parking meter nightmare. Provide maps to your guests showing the free spots, they only have to go right down the road to Nevada after all.
CJ McCoy, your comments don’t make sense to me. I have lived and worked here for 30 years, kind of hard to stay away… I love it here! Where do you live? and what color is the sky in your world?…just kidding! Ha! Ha! Sorry, couldn’t resist that. I’m sure I’ll get a rant for that comment, but I am ready for it.
John, I manage the restaurant, I just want my guests to have a fun and safe experience.
Anyways, to anyone that might be interested in solving the problem rather than sending guests elsewhere, I made a YouTube video of the area. It is not professional and it shows. Be prepared for bad commentary and jerky camera movements, I apologize now.
I thought it might help some city council people and others that may not have been down to the Lakeside Beach area since the meters went in, see what the area is like, and how few and far between the signage is.
I hope this helps and we can find a way to promote city revenue without putting visitors at risk and making them so mad they never want to come back. Thanks.
Heres the link to the video, take some ginger before viewing! http://youtu.be/jlPtvAkU8oM
Great video Judy! The city should refund every ticket because this IS a scam. “Stupid is, as stupid does”