$49.50.

That’s the price of a parking ticket in Sacramento for parking in a permit-only area.

Tickets have gone up locally because of state fees on parking tickets, among other reasons, according to the city’s Department of Transportation. Tickets are also being distributed more often in certain parts of town because the city is ramping up enforcement hours in residential areas designated for permit-holders, according to department spokeswoman Linda Tucker.

Tucker explained that city parking tickets have increased because of state fees. The state fees add $9.50 to every parking ticket distributed in Sacramento.

“The city of Sacramento raised selected parking fines ... effective July 1, 2008, by a modest $5, first time in at least three years,” Tucker said. “But this year, we had to increase penalties by $9.50 to pass through the fees already collected by Sacramento County and the state for the court system. We do not keep any of this portion of the fee.”

“I know to the citizens it means more money, and it’s out of the pocket,” Tucker said.

I had a recent personal experience with the city’s nighttime parking enforcement. I don't consider myself much of a scofflaw. But last Friday night, I parked on Dolores Way in East Sacramento at 10 p.m. in an area with a sign that banned parking at any time except with a permit. I parked long enough to purchase and eat a frozen yogurt at Big Spoon on J Street.

I didn’t think anyone would be enforcing parking violations at 10 p.m. on a Friday night. I was wrong. When I returned to my car, I was greeted with a $49.50 ticket.

I might have been caught earlier — the city was previously enforcing parking violations from 6 a.m. to midnight — but my hefty ticket proves that the city is working late nights in residential areas.

Residents asked the city for the beefed-up enforcement, Tucker said. In response, the city is now enforcing parking violations in residential areas from 6 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

“We are helping by enforcing near bar areas, restaurant areas and near the hospitals to increase turnover,” she said.

The city has also stepped-up daily and monthly parking rates at some locations for various reasons. Tucker points out that the raised rates are in effect at the Sacramento Valley Station, as well as City Hall Garage and Lot X adjacent to Crocker Art Museum. “Of the total 15 city-owned garages and seven parking lots, we’ve raised rates at two, in addition to the depot lots,” she said.

The new Citizen Hotel changed things at the downtown parking garage nearby. “City Hall Garage’s monthly rate went from $155 to $185 in January as a result of supply and demand after the new Citizen Hotel opened,” Tucker said.

Daily rates at Lot X climbed to $10 from $8. The rate increase intends to “open up more lots for short-term parkers,” Tucker said.

At the Sacramento Valley Station, daily rates at the central lot have risen. “We estimated when we took over the parking lot in December 2006, that in three years we would be at the point where we would need to raise rates,” Tucker said. “When garages and lots get to a certain level of occupancy, we need to consider raising the rates to promote turnover. The daily rate at the main, most convenient lot at the depot needed to be raised to $9 from $6.50 effective Aug. 1.”
 

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.