Dallas fails to collect parking fines

Dave Levinthal and Molly Motley Blythe of The Dallas Morning News analyzed city records to show that Dallas City Hall, perennially strapped for cash, is owed at least $40 million in unpaid parking fines. As of November, the city had yet to collect on nearly 1 million outstanding parking tickets and their corresponding late penalties dating to 1988. "The money is owed by delivery companies and the federal government; city employees and average residents; and folks from every corner of the state and nation. " The investigation found the information recorded about illegally parked vehicles is inconsistent — several different names for the same company, for example — and sometimes incorrect. Also, 10 businesses each owed Dallas more than $30,000. Two of them owed more than $100,000. Dallas has cut dozens of jobs and raised property taxes because of meager budgets.