[paul51]

The same type of thing goes on all over the country. Cities desperate for funds have set up all kinds of scams to rip off the public, many of them having to do with 'enforcement' of stupid parking laws. To protect and serve. What a joke. Public officials and employees long ago forgot who they work for and who pays them and the citizens have let them get away with it.

[supercat]

Cities desperate for funds have set up all kinds of scams to rip off the public, many of them having to do with 'enforcement' of stupid parking laws.

But the irony is that the city isn't getting much of anything for these vehicles--at least not "officially". Indeed, in a sane world taxpayers ought to be able to file a lawsuit on the basis that the city is acting against people in a manner which diminishes revenues (if someone owes $500 of parking tickets on a car worth $5,000 and the city sells the car for $250, the city will sacrifice $250 by stealing the person's car).

Of course, it may be that city officials get an undocumented 'cut' of the cars' resale value, but that wouldn't help the city's budget any.