Finding a new way to fine

TOLEDO, Ohio - In the wake of June's parking ticket fine debate, city officials have found a new way to issue parking tickets to Toledo residents.

A month after Toledo's Division of Streets, Bridges, and Harbor fined several residents for parking their vehicles on unpaved driveways, city employees with the Department of Neighborhoods have fined several homes for being a nuisance.

Denise Smith said she received a $75 ticket on Thursday from the Department of Neighborhoods, but it wasn't her car that was fined.

Smith said the vehicle she received the ticket for belonged to her son's caregiver.

"I guess I feel like they should have sent out notifications saying what was expected before I was ticketed," Smith said.

Phone calls to Kattie Bond, Director for the Dept. of Neighborhoods, seeking clarification of the fines were not returned.

Bruce Lulfs said he has received four parking tickets for the city for parking his vehicles on his unpaved driveway. The first three fines were from Acting Commissioner of Streets, Bridges and Harbor Sue Frederick while his latest came from neighborhoods.

"I think he wants to run people out of town," Lulfs said of Mayor Carty Finkbeiner. "He wants more revenue but he's going at it the wrong way."

"I don't understand why when there's absolutely no complaint, why we are taking great interest going out and harassing people when there are nuisances that really are nuisances," said Councilman D. Michael Collins.

Councilman Collins said he has heard from several Toledoans who have received the latest $75 fines from the city's neighborhood's department.

"I'm wondering what's their real purpose is -- severe the citizens of Toledo or are they going out to play super cop defining what they feel is a nuisance," he said. "God knows that we have gone through enough embarrassment over the parking tickets."

"So, now that they've found out that the parking tickets - the way they approved it - is not going to be allowed. Now they've switched the game over."