Los Angeles mayor makes sick joke by offering $20 discounts on parking tickets to help with COVID-19 relief

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is now promoting a $20 discount on parking tickets as a form of financial assistance during the coronavirus pandemic. When his proposal was announced it faced intense backlash and ridicule. The relaxed parking enforcement in the city of Los Angeles is officially coming to an end.

He announced the new program on Friday called, “Early Pay L.A.,” that will offer a discount on parking citations that are paid within 48 hours.

“My administration will continue to do everything possible to support Angelenos through the unprecedented challenges we face,” Garcetti stated. “COVID-19 has dealt a devastating blow to Angelenos’ financial security, and these funds will provide essential relief to our residents during this moment of economic upheaval.”

“We’re delivering assistance to Angelenos facing economic hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Garcetti tweeted. “Starting Monday, with our new Early Pay LA program, @LADOTOfficial will offer a $20 discount on parking citations paid within 48 hours.”

We're delivering assistance to Angelenos facing economic hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Starting Monday, with our new Early Pay LA program, @LADOTOfficial will offer a $20 discount on parking citations paid within 48 hours. https://t.co/jqG5kxudvi

— MayorOfLA (@MayorOfLA) October 31, 2020

The program was immediately blasted and mocked on social media. It appears that many LA residents are not amused by the mayor’s program.

“ROFL (Rolling On the Floor Laughing),” National Review contributor Pradheep J. Shanker tweeted.

“There’s that brave, visionary leadership Garcetti is known for,” BuzzFeed News’ Brandon Wall quipped.

“This is literally a sale on parking tickets,” comedian Johnny Taylor snarked.

“Wow. What did we do to deserve such kindness?” singer Meghan Tonjes responded.

“Hey @NobelPrize, you’re all set,” The Athletic staff writer Zach Harper joked.

“Eric Garcetti heard that Bill de Blasio was the worst mayor in the country and said, ‘challenge accepted,'” writer Heidi Moore zinged.

This is hilarious. A $20 discount on tickets as pandemic relief. https://t.co/6tez15H3BR

— Zito (@_Zeets) October 31, 2020

The Office of the Los Angeles Mayor has not yet responded to Fox News with a comment on the program or answers for the reactions to it.

For people who cannot pay their outstanding tickets or need help paying them, LADOT has compiled a list of programs to assist people:

• Community Assistance Parking Program (CAPP): LADOT offers the CAPP for individuals experiencing homelessness that allows them to pay their parking citations through volunteer community service or through enrollment in a homeless service program. As of June 30, 2020, LADOT assisted 1,070 participants to complete 14,238 community service hours for a total of $559,783 worth of citations converted to community service.
• Low-Income Payment Plans: LADOT worked with the State Legislature to shape bills that created or modified payment plans for the indigent and eligible low-income motorists. Depending on the existing payment plan, the City may waive all late fees for eligible motorists and allow up to 18 months to pay off the base citation fines.
• The citation amnesty program grants a one-time opportunity for those with citations over three years old the chance to have all late fees waived and pay the base citation amount(s) over a period of time thereby clearing DMV holds, tax intercepts, and/or tow orders.
• The unemployment citation amnesty program assists those that lost their job during the pandemic by allowing them to have late fees waived and pay only the base citation amount over a period of time.

The new program goes into effect Monday, November 2. The discount applies for citations such as residential street sweeping, overnight and oversize parking districts, and vehicles displaying recently expired permits within preferential parking districts, according to the mayor’s office. It is promoted as economic relief but is being viewed as yet another tax or fee in a time when LA residents are hurting from a depressed California economy in the midst of a pandemic. People are calling the mayor tone-deaf and insensitive over this.

It’s interesting to note that Garcetti also serves as a co-chair of the Biden campaign.

Really good satire of Democrats from this LA comedian https://t.co/OmNel1j2M1

— Brittany Van Horne (@_brittanyv) October 31, 2020

beyond parody. TWENTY DOLLARS OFF PARKING TICKETS is the best COVID relief our government can come up with after they chose to enforce parking tickets https://t.co/cxKf0WV0yQ

— i send you the smile of goodwill (@runolgarun) October 31, 2020

Maybe instead stop using us all as ATMs. https://t.co/DzF6fg0m56

— Joe Flint (@JBFlint) October 31, 2020