Naperville parking fines upped from $30 to $50

Those Naperville parking tickets collecting on your front seat now cost you 67 percent more.

City council members Tuesday voted 5 to 4, to increase parking fines from $30 to $50 and increase the minimum compromise payment from $15 to $25.

The compromise payments are offered within 15 days of the violation unless the offender has three or more tickets in a 12-month period.

The move could generate as much as $150,000 in new revenue but council members said the increase is necessary to curb parking scofflaws who don't pay at the train commuter lots and commuters who park all day on local side streets.

Some of the city's biggest scofflaws are the commuters who park but don't pay. A $15 Naperville ticket is cheaper than the typical $25 or more daily parking fee in Chicago.

Sgt. John Westlove, who oversees four non-sworn parking enforcement officers stationed at the Route 59 Depot, Fourth Avenue Depot, downtown and at North Central College, said his four officers alone write about 1,200 violations a month.

Added Councilman Grant Wehrli, “This isn't just about downtown, this is about neighborhoods. It's about parking in the streets. Increasing this really is keeping up with the times and keeps our ordinances fresh.”

Councilman Kenn Miller agreed and said he's gotten positive feedback since the plan was announced last month.

“Residents say we need to enforce the laws we have,” he said.

Councilman Joe McElroy, one of the dissenting members, agreed the fines need to be increased but suggested a $10 increase, rather than $20.