The East Lansing City Council is considering raising the cost of parking fines. A proposed ordinance would double the cost of what a parking fine typically is right now.
Currently, illegally parking in the city can cost drivers $10 dollars per citation if it's paid within 24 hours.
Meanwhile, paying for parking at a city ramp runs anywhere from $15 to $20 dollars per day.
East Lansing’s City Manager George Lahanas says the current fine structure encourages drivers to park on the streets illegally instead of using city ramps.
"We have a situation where the fees to park in a structure could be, if you park for a day, be like up to $15 or $20 dollars but the parking on the street to get a parking ticket if you pay it quickly it could be as low as $10 dollars," Lahanas said.
By increasing the fines, Lahanas says they are trying to encourage people to leave the meters open for short term parking.
"It's to have people parking at the right level in terms of parking in the structures, if you intend to be there for longer, or for daily parking, and then saving those meters for people to come in quickly, come and go to pick up things, shopping, whatever it may be, and as a way of supporting our downtown businesses," he explained.
If the council approves the ordinance at its meeting next month, it will go into effect in June.
