LOVING THE NEW CHICAGO FINES!

When Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel sent out his 71 page transition plan last May, I mocked it in a two part series.  I thought, and still think that there were many ideas I did not agree with, such as adding bicycle lanes, and making city employees go to health and wellness classes.  But Rahm’s 2012 revenue ordinance, which raises a lot of fines, is simply fabulous!!  Make the bad guys pay!

The Chicago Sun-Times provided a great list of  the proposed higher fines and fees:

(1) If your car is impounded for carrying drugs, driving drunk, soliciting a prostitute or carrying a firearm registered to someone other than the driver, the penalty will double — to $2,000. But, if the violations occur within 500 feet of a park or school, the fine will triple — to $3,000.

(2) If your car is seized for drag racing on Chicago streets, there’s a new, $1,000 fine in addition to the towing and storage fee.

(3) For playing a radio too loud, the new fine will be anywhere from $500 to $750.

(4) If the vehicle is snatched for driving with a suspended or revoked license or displaying altered temporary registration permits, the fine would double — to $1,000.

(5) Vehicles towed after being used in an unlawful attempt to flee or elude police officers would also double — to $2,000.

(6) Tampering with parking meters or pay-and-display boxes — something motorists have done on occasion to vent their anger at the deal that privatized Chicago parking meters — would carry a fine ranging from $500 to $750.

Nuisance fines are going up also. They include:

(1)Allowing weeds to grow to a height that exceeds 10 inches — $600-to-$1,200-a-day, up from $500-to-$1,000.

(2)Illegal dumping or allowing trash to accumulate in a way that provides a food supply for rats — $300-to-$600, up from $250-to-$500.

(3)Accumulation of materials or junk on any open lot or other premises not placed on open racks “elevated not less than 18 inches above ground”: $300-to-$600, up from $250-to-$500.

(4) Failure to maintain vacant lots and keep them clear of debris: $300-to-$600.

(5) Neglecting to register or renew registration of a vacant building: $500.

Since I know I will never be drag racing with a prostitute in a school zone while drunk, carrying a firearm and attempting to elude the police while doing it after I had tampered with a meter box, I will never be subject to any of the higher fines.  If the new fines mean lower property taxes, I hope a lot of horny men will drink to that!