While drivers across the City rejoiced, San Francisco could not have taken well news that parking tickets are down.
There was a 16 percent drop in parking citations handed out to drivers since 2005, the San Francisco Examiner reported. The reason behind the meter maid slowdown: the weak economy and a reduction of street sweeping across the City.
The word comes as San Francisco is facing a $522.2 million budget shortfall next fiscal year and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority -- who enforces parking tickets -- is staring at its own deficit of $49.1 million short fall.
All this has happened while San Francisco has actually increased the number of parking control officers by 8 percent since fiscal year 2007-2008.
The MTA told the Examiner it thinks poor drivers are paying more attention to street signs than the City.
