Higher parking fines in Huntley?

People used to paying $10 for illegal parking in Huntley would pay $25 under a new law the committee of the whole endorsed this week.

As part of the proposal, a scofflaw who doesn’t pay the fine within 10 days will owe $50. Late fees are currently assessed after five days and only cost the violator $20. Moreover, a $15 fee assessed to people obstructing access to public streets (for example, throwing snow or leaves into the street) would climb to $50 under the same proposal.

Huntley had not raised its parking fees since 1997, because there was no need to do so until recently, Police Chief John Perkins said.

“We changed over our parking ticket computer system to a new system the first of the year and realized we hadn’t raised the price in that long,” Perkins said. “We did a survey of our neighbors and found out we’re a little behind the times.”

Parking tickets in Algonquin, Lake in the Hills, Gilberts, McHenry and West Dundee cost $25, according to a village analysis. After 10 days, each town charges a $50 late fee, the analysis showed.

“Obviously, we take a look at the cost of doing business and compare ourselves with neighboring communities,” Village Manager Dave Johnson said. “This proposal would put us in line with our neighboring communities.”

Huntley police issued 1,200 parking tickets last year and say the $10 fee isn’t enough to cover officer response time, paperwork or deter motorists from parking illegally.

“For them, (partyers) pay more than that to park in downtown Chicago for 30 minutes,” Perkins said. “Ten dollars is no big deal for them.”

If the new fee structure moves ahead, authorities expect to generate $20,000 for the general fund. But Perkins doesn’t anticipate spending more time on parking enforcement.

“We do a pretty good job right now, so I don’t think it’ll be any more or any less,” he said.

The proposal moves to a final vote Thursday.