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Parking Authority Admits Mistake In Issuing Parking Ticket

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The signs on 52nd Street in Lawrenceville are clear.

Vehicles must be moved by 8:30 a.m. on the third Tuesday of each month for street cleaning.

But when Timothy Monahan went to move his car shortly after 8 a.m., he was shocked to see a ticket already on his car.

"The signs are clearly marked from 8:30 until 2. No parking on the third Tuesday of every month," he told KDKA's Jon Delano.

Delano: "What time is it on your ticket?"

Monahan: "My ticket was written at 8:12 a.m., which is before 8:30."

Oops -- that's a big oops.

Turns out, Monahan wasn't the only resident who got a ticket before he was required to move his car. Lots of other residents who park in the area had the same ticket as well.

Monahan says it's not just the $25 fine he was charged. He worries that the Pittsburgh Parking Authority is illegally collecting fines from residents who don't look at their tickets closely.

"How long has the city illegally been taking money from people is my question," said Monahan.

So Monahan called the Parking Authority directly.

Monahan: "They were actually very rude to me and told me that I would have to take a court date to fight the ticket that was improperly written to me."

Delano: "Well that doesn't make much sense because you would have to take a day off work?"

Monahan: "Exactly. Why would I have to take a day off work, lose my wages, to fight a ticket that was improperly written."

He won't have to do that, says Parking Authority Executive Director David Onorato.

"Just a mistake on our part," he said. "We should have caught it in advance."

Onorato says Monahan or anyone else who was ticketed early before allowed should call his office, and the ticket will be dismissed. Onorato says this is the first he's heard of this happening.

Onorato: "This has not been brought to my attention in the past."

Delano: "And you will take care of it right away?"

Onorato: "Yes."

RELATED LINKS:
More Lawrenceville News
More Reports by Jon Delano

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