Wantagh, N.Y-Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi today warned all persistent parking violators who fail to answer their tickets that they face having their vehicles and property seized. 

“Gone are the days that the Nassau County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency looks the other way when scofflaws don’t respond to repeated requests for payment,” said Suozzi. “TPVA is working with the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office to seize the cars and property of those people who owe the County hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

The Sheriff’s Office is empowered to do income and property executions by statute for non-payment of money judgments.  “We do this as a last resort,” Sheriff Reilly stated, “but residents should know we will execute the judgments.”

One hundred default judgments were sent out on January 14th, 2005, and twenty people complied.  The remaining 80 were put on a list to have their vehicles and property seized.  TPVA is allowed by law to execute default judgments on parking tickets received and unanswered in the last two years.  For those debtors whose cars cannot be towed because they are not the owner, the Sheriff’s Office will be attaching bank accounts and other personal property.

Commissioner Lawrence pointed out that this interdepartmental cooperative effort between the NCPD, TPVA and the Sheriff’s Office, culminated in a successful compliance effort.  “I believe the aggressive action taken today will only remind violators that they must obey the law,” Lawrence said.
 
“Almost $500,000 is owed to the County for these tickets,” stated TPVA Executive Director Patricia Reilly.  “Persistent violators can no longer thumb their noses at the process of compliance,” she said.

There are currently four cars being held at Cedar Creek, totaling $17,665.00 in uncollected parking tickets, with 9 vehicles that remain to be seized that amount to a total of $39,877.00. In addition, two scofflaws paid their fines on April 4, 2005 as their cars were about to be seized, totaling $8,500.00

Suozzi made it clear that if judgments are not satisfied, the impounded cars will be sold for auction.  “Pay your parking tickets or risk losing your vehicle,” he said.