Shorter alternate-side parking season, but more tickets

It is another example of be careful what you wish for. La Crosse residents clamored for a shorter alternate-side parking season, and the city council complied. The season during which we have to move our cars every night was shortened by a full month. The rules took effect two weeks later, on November 15, and will end two weeks earlier, this Thursday. That should be good news for La Crosse residents, who could reasonably expect to receive fewer alternate side parking tickets. Not so much. The final figures aren’t in yet, but it appears this year was even more of a money grab. La Crosse is on pace to write more alternate side parking tickets this year than last. La Crosse police wrote 5386 alternate-side parking tickets during the first month of enforcement, about 2000 more than normal. Keep in mind, we again enjoyed a relatively snow-free winter, with plows only called out a handful of times. But police were more aggressive in writing tickets this year, warning a shorter enforcement period would put a dent in their budget to the tune of $35,000. Seems they more than made up for that. More tickets, despite a shorter alternate-side parking season, further demonstrates this law is not about keeping our streets clear, but rather keeping City Hall’s coffers full.