New Haven Independent

Former city development chief Sal Brancati (pictured) came to a meeting of the aldermanic Legislation Committee Monday with a plea for the seven towing companies that contract work with the city. The companies are faced with more and more hard-to-tow SUVs, higher gas prices and towing fees that haven’t been updated to match state standards, he said.

He and Alderwoman Andrea Jackson-Brooks helped broker a proposed agreement between towing companies and the city that would boost city revenue by collecting unpaid parking tickets, and allow towing companies to charge more for their services.

The committee approved a deal that would hike up towing and storage fees to meet state standards, and employ private towers to use the Boot to impound cars with over $200 in outstanding tickets. Now the full Board of Aldermen will consider the measure.

The companies had as their representative before the committee Brancati, the one-time City Hall dealmaker who once funneled city cash to a Long Wharf towing company in an era of unethical favor-giving. Brancati left City Hall in 2000 in the wake of manifold controversies about loans he had given out. He went into private practice as a consultant helping people get loans and other help from government.

Charles Wailonis, the city’s parking enforcement administrator, backed the towing proposal, authoring its final draft. The ordinance amendment was approved in a 5 to 1 vote Monday.

The Boot

The proposal has nothing to do with the Bootfinder which tracks down those who haven’t paid taxes, clarified Wailonis. It has to do with the Boot “” the metal wheel lock used to immobilize parked cars.

The city has sporadically used the Boot to target cars with over $200 in outstanding tickets, forcing payment before release. The tool is helpful, but private towers have never had the authority to use it, only the city.

Wailonis (pictured) said the city isn’t using the Boot right now, and too many cars are “beating the system” because no one can tow them away or otherwise force payment.

He told of one car with New York plates and hundreds of dollars in outstanding tickets, often spotted, but always wedged between two cars, out of reach.

“Part of our job is to go out and locate the scofflaws,” said Wailonis. It’s “demoralizing to go out there and find the car” and not be able to tow it.

A great portion of the scofflaws ride in SUVs: Of all the cars with outstanding parking tickets, 40 percent are four-wheel drive vehicles like SUVs, which require a flat-bed to tow, said Wailonis.

Wailonis said the city could stand to gain “millions” in unpaid tickets if the Boot comes back.

Towing companies would stand to gain, too: The proposal would allow towing companies to charge a special boot fee of $55. Each company would be required to purchase two boots.

People who have their cars booted would be able to get it back by paying outstanding tickets at the police department. (A lot of people don’t know that you can pay parking tickets there when the Hall of Records is closed, said Wailonis).

Fee Hike

City and state law determine how much private towers can charge for towing illegally parked cars.

Five years ago, the state hiked its cap up to $77, while the city’s rate remained at $48, said Jackson-Brooks.

Vincent J. DiLauro (pictured at right), who owns Columbus Auto Body Works, is Jackson-Brooks’ constituent and a longtime pal of Brancati’s. He said the city’s failure to update the fees has “dramatically” affected business. He said he’s struggled under a requirement to stay open 24-7 while footing rising gas costs.

The proposal passed Monday would raise the maximum allowable towing fee from $48 to $77, to match the state’s. Storage rates would be raised from $12 to $20 per day for the first five days of storage.

On the other hand, the city would make small change off the towers by raising the tow license fee from $103 to $150. And each tower would be required to have three radioed tow trucks on duty at all times, where only two are currently required.

Do towing company owners fear heat from tax-strapped citizens angered by extra fees?

“If you’re illegally parked, and if you owe tickets, you gotta be accountable,” said DiLauro.

“Maybe they’ll think twice before they park illegally,” chimed in a towing company rep from Catapano Bros.

Aldermen, for the most part, applauded the proposal.

“We desperately need this revenue,” said Morris Cove Alderwoman Arlene DePino.

“There are people who are getting around the system,” said Dwight/West River Alderman Yusuf Shah.

All present voted in favor, except for Legislation Committee Chair Maria Reyes-Rivera, who said she hadn’t gotten the chance to read the ordinance before the meeting, and wanted to review it further.

The proposed ordinance amendment now passes to the full Board of Aldermen for approval.