Officials: 180 Foreign Nations Owe NYC $18M In Unpaid Parking Tickets

By Stephanie Barish
1/11/2010
Wpix.com
Original Source: http://www.wpix.com/news/local/wpix-parking-tickets-debt,0,822380.story?track=rss

NEW YORK (WPIX) - Diplomats from nearly 200 foreign nations owe New York City a staggering $18 million in unpaid parking tickets, according to a report released by officials Monday.

Rep. Anthony Weiner, a member of the House Judiciary Crime Subcommittee, unveiled the study showing that 180 foreign nations still owe a hefty sum of cash - most of which was incurred in 2005.

Many international governments are some of the biggest deadbeats there are when it comes to paying parking tickets, said Weiner.  We like having the United Nations here and all the business it brings, but they're also taking great liberties when it comes to parking on the streets of New York.

Egypt, Kuwait and Nigeria are the top three offenders, the study revealed. Egypt racked up nearly $2 million in debt, while both Kuwait and Nigeria rung up nearly $1 million in parking ticket debt.

Weiner's goal is to enact legislation that would ensure that the outstanding debt is paid directly to the city.

The mayor's office released a statement in an e-mail saying it is still seeking to recover the money still owed to the city. While the old parking ticket revenue is important, we are more focused on collecting money from unpaid property taxes on non-diplomatic uses of their consular properties.

To help ensure the payment of parking fines, the State Department can reportedly revoke consular license plates and withhold foreign aid for the amount the city is owed.

In September 2002, it stripped 30 nations of 185 plates.