By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-854446.mp3
Dallas, TX –
Dallas wants to regulate the "booting" of cars on private parking lots. KERA's BJ Austin says a city council committee has approved new rules in response to a rash of complaints.
City Council member Pauline Medrano says she's been inundated with complaints about cars being booted, or immobilized, by private parking lot owners for non-payment - especially in Deep Ellum and the West End, both in her council district. Medrano says the Council needs to get a handle on what could be a public relations nightmare.
Medrano: I'm afraid its going to be popping up more and more, especially as we are bringing more and more people downtown. And I don't think it's a good reflection when the people we are trying to bring downtown get welcomed that way.
A council committee has approved a plan to require permits for "private" booting; a 100 dollar cap on the cost; 30 minute response time to remove the boot; AND, an electronic receipt for each paying customer that can be displayed on the dashboard.
Some parking lot owners say electronic receipt machines are much too expensive, and they want to use video cameras at the unmanned payment slots. But a majority of the council committee favors the receipts. Final approval by the full council comes later this month.