I thank you Melanie of the Philadelphia Parking Authority. You answered the phone promptly and answered my questions knoweldgeably and courteously. Now let's hope I get a fair hearing today. I put money in the meter for I think it was an hour and a quarter but the meter took my money but didn't properly credit me with the time. I left a note on my windshield to this effect. When I got back, the note was still there along with a ticket. I asked you, Melanie, whether the parking enforcers have a quota to fill and you said you thought so. Hmmm. The last time I went to traffic court many years ago I knew I was in trouble when the judge hearing a case before mine on an expired meter case opined,"I don't believe you should have to pay a fine just for staying over time at a meter" and threw the case out. My matter was treated with similar disdain for the facts and the law. Let's see what happens.../what happened was an example of what's right with the City. Although there were many people waiting in line to resolve their tickets, we were treated with courtesy along the assembly line window where we registered, got our parking garage tickets validated, and assigned an order, first come first serve for the hearing. My hearing officer, Nicole Monson, was respectful and attentive to my testimony, provided me a copy of the note that I had left on my windshield and later mailed in to the hearing unit. Justice was served in the process in which my case was handled. Maybe other City departments can learn from the Bureau of Administrative Hearing Unit within the Office of Administrative Review (OAR) within the Finance Department.
One suggestion: allow 2 hours, not just one hour for parking in the garage adjacent the hearing office: that would be a touch more gracious and would allow someone such as I to have lunch at the Reading Terminal Market- in the end, if Market merchants benefit from a little increased traffic from [alleged] traffic violators, the city would see the benefit through increased tax revenue!
