Why has Paso Robles refunded less than 3% of illicit parking charges?

April 24, 2024

By KAREN VELIE

After agreeing their downtown paid parking program was not legally set up, the Paso Robles City Council announced plans to refund parking tickets given during a 12 month period. Even so, most people have not been paid back.

If the city pays everyone charged for tickets and parking fees from Feb. 6, 2023 through Feb. 6, 2024, it will cost the city more than $560,000. At this time, the city has refunded only $13,870, or 2.47%, while the time to apply is waning.

Instead of sending each ticketed person their money back, City Manager Ty Lewis said those wronged needed to provide proof they have paid their tickets. An action that has confused and frustrated many residents and visitors.

During a Feb. 20 City Council meeting, Clive Pinder with KVEC talk radio asked why not automatically repay all the fines unlawfully collected.

Ty Lewis responded to why they were not paying back all the fines, saying their vendors do not keep ticketing data and that the city has purged older records. He then noted that depending on the amount of refunds, the city could seek reimbursement from the city’s attorney firm: Best Best & Krieger.

City Attorney Elizabeth Hull, with Best Best & Krieger, said the city is requiring proof of payment because they need documentation.

However, the vehicle code requires the city to keep records of parking tickets and payments.

In response to a question from CalCoastNews, Lewis said the city keeps parking citation documentation for at least two years and that people can get proof of payment from the police department.

“If an individual needs help locating their individual records they are free to reach out to the police department,” Lewis said in an email.

For those who did not pay their tickets, the city automatically voided all unpaid citations and charges for late payments.

To apply for a refund, people need to provide proof of payment to the city and fill out a form.

“Proof of payment of parking sessions and downtown parking citations must be submitted with refund request form,” according to the city’s online form. “Acceptable forms of proof of payment include: parking meter receipt, parking app receipt/screenshot, text to pay screenshot, citation payment receipt, credit card or bank statement, cancelled check.”

Refund request forms must be completed and submitted by 5 p.m. on May 24.