City OKs Higher Parking Fines, New System of Processing Them

BEVERLY HILLS — The Beverly Hills City Council has approved a deal with Los Angeles County to increase parking fines and assume responsibility for collecting them, which may result in a $1.2-million revenue increase for the city, officials said.

The new procedure, in which the collection of fines is contracted out to a private data-processing agency, was implemented about a year ago but wasn’t officially approved until Tuesday, Beverly Hills Finance Manager Don Oblander said.

Because Beverly Hills issues an unusually large number of parking citations, Oblander said the county municipal court was swamped, causing a backlog in fine processing.

“Payments would just sit unopened,” he said, while unnecessary notices of late payments would be sent.

The fines throughout Los Angeles County vary. For example, a meter violation in Santa Monica costs a motorist $15. As of Wednesday, the same violation will cost $23 in Beverly Hills, Oblander said.

The new system should be efficient as well as cost-effective for the city. “In theory, the revenue increase could be up to $100,000 a month for the city,” he said.

Of the $23 fine, $5 will automatically go to courts under a state law. Under the new agreement, 90% of the remainder will go to the city and 10% to the courts.