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Mayor Michael Bloomberg Gets His Way on No-Tow Bill

By DNAinfo Staff on July 26, 2010 4:45pm

A new bill intended to help people facing bankruptcy will make it virtually impossible for the city to tow vehicles with repeated parking violations.
A new bill intended to help people facing bankruptcy will make it virtually impossible for the city to tow vehicles with repeated parking violations.
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By Jill Colvin

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN — Mayor Michael Bloomberg has gotten his way on a new a bill that would have made it impossible for the city to tow vehicles that repeatedly park illegally, which he warned Monday would "kill people" in addition to costing millions.

But just hours after Bloomberg's warning, the city announced that that they had reached an agreement on the bill that would make the towing a non-issue.

In its current form, the bill, which was sponsored by State Sen. and attorney general candidate Eric Schneiderman, included a provision that prevents collection agencies, including the city, from seizing vehicles worth $4,000 or less.

The bill was intended to help protect people facing bankruptcy by allowing them to hold on to a small amount of assets, Schneiderman spokesman James Freedland said.

But as an unintended consequence, the bill would also have made it virtually impossible for the city to tow vehicles that receive repeated parking violations, since officers have no way of knowing how much a car is worth. Even expensive cars would have been in question, City Finance Department spokesman Owen Stone said, since the $4,000 total includes liens.

At a press conference in Brooklyn Monday morning, Bloomberg railed against the bill, warning that it would put lives at risk. People will park anywhere they please — including at intersections and in front of fire hydrants  — blocking fire trucks and senior citizens from crossing, he said.

"This is a bill that will kill people," he said. "This is just a terrible piece of legislation. The only possible rationale for it is a campaign thing and it's a disgrace."

But soon after, the city and Sen. Schneiderman's office announced that they had reached a compromise that will allow the city to continue towing.

“We are pleased to report that we have reached agreement on a chapter amendment to the legislation that ensures the City’s successful scofflaw towing program will remain intact," Schneiderman's office, Legislative Director & Counsel Justin Berhaupt and Micah Lasher, the city's director of State Legislative Affairs, said in a joint statement.

The amendment was expected to be introduced late Monday, they said.