Dear Editor:
The phantom parking tickets remains a problem and is becoming worse. My name is Lisa A. Arduini, Esq. I am an attorney and currently live in the East Hampton in Newport. Since I move in, which was earlier this year, I have paid close to $500 in fines for parking tickets. The majority of the fines paid were for tickets that I did not receive. And, of course, the amount I paid included late fees. Well in August, I received a notice that I had four more tickets and the court wanted another $188. I felt enough was enough. I sent an entry of appearance to the court and not guilty pleas. The matters should have been set for trial. Apparently they were not.
On September 23, 2000, I received notice that my driver’s license has been suspended since September 16 for those very parking violations. I have since contacted the court to advise them of their clerical error. They were rude and offered no help. I have sent correspondence to the Municipal Court Judge, our senator and assemblyman, but am doubtful anything will happen. Since my license remains suspended. This is an outrage.
Additionally the majority of tickets I received allege parking in a crosswalk. The area around my apartment where I park is under ongoing construction and crosswalks are not even painted on the street. I also received a ticket for parking in a spot for housing authority residents only. I am not aware of a housing authority building in the area. This is a major problem for all the tenants in Newport. My car is only parked from about 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. during the week and almost never on the street over the weekend. The way we are being treated is the reason that people relocate to areas of Hoboken, Edgewater, Weehawken and Fort Lee.
The feeling is that there is no sympathy for our plight because we live in higher-end buildings that are expensive and our community is primarily comprised of people from places other than Jersey City. This simply must stop.
Lisa A. Arduini, Esq.