Tempted to park illegally in Boston? It could cost you big bucks

June 4, 2008 02:04 PM Email| Comments (0)| Text size – +

(David L. Ryan/Globe Staff/file 2007)

By John C. Drake, Globe Staff

Tired of circling the block and tempted to park illegally in Boston? You might want to think twice.

The Boston City Council today raised fines for parking scofflaws, hiking some tickets to $100. With little discussion, the council voted 11-2 to approve Mayor Thomas M. Menino's plan.

Councilors accepted the mayor's contention that since many of the fines had not been increased in more than 10 years, it was appropriate to raise them now.

Drivers who park in front of fire hydrants and in fire lanes will receive $100 fines, up from $75 and $40 respectively. The fire hydrant fine was last increased in 2000, while the fire lane penalty has been unchanged since 1991. Parking in a crosswalk would generate a fine of $85, up from $40.

The increases apply only to main thoroughfares of the city and the downtown area, city officials said. Except for a few small increases, fines on residential streets would be unaffected.

The mayor's office has estimated the increases will generate $13 million in additional revenue next year.

The council also decided today that JP Morgan should get a tax break.

Blessing a deal between the Menino administration and the banking giant, councilors voted 9-4 to approve a $2 million break on property taxes through 2022 as incentive for moving into renovated space at 451 D Street and adding some 350 jobs.

Councilor Bill Linehan, chairman of the council's economic development committee, said the tax breaks are appropriate because they encourage new job growth and could spur development on the site, across the street from the convention center.

But Councilor Sam Yoon complained that the timing was not right to give a corporation that earned $45 billion in profits last year a tax break when the city's school system was facing millions in deficits. Councilors Michael Flaherty, Chuck Turner, and Charles Yancey also opposed the tax breaks.

JP Morgan said yesterday it had finalized a lease to move its local operations to the South Boston waterfront with the benefit of the tax incentives, which, combined with companion state tax breaks, reach $4 million.