City Turns Over $100 million in Fines to Collector

The City of Baltimore may be placing for collection more than $100 million in delinquent parking tickets with Texas-based collection law firm Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson.

Baltimore gave more than 107,000 vehicle owners final notice on their tickets, asking them to pay off their debt, according to a June 20 story in the Baltimore Sun. This gives ticket holders one last chance to pay before the outstanding debt is turned over to Linebarger.

Those accounts turned over to Linebarger will have the opportunity to enroll in a payment plan with the collection agency.  Debtors will be responsible for current past due amounts in addition to the original amount of the fine; however, as long as they make on-time payments, they will not incur additional late-payment penalties.

"I felt that the citizens of Baltimore [would be] unfairly taxed,” City Councilman Bernard C. "Jack" Young told the Sun. “If you have a parking ticket for $12, it could turn into $2,000 or $3,000 [if given to a collection agency]. There should be some kind of cap on that."

That cap comes in a halting of late and past-due fees that would normally be attached to these fines.  According to the Sun, this would be a new way of dealing with past due fines.

Residents who owe more than $500 will be required to pay 25 percent of their outstanding debt immediately and then the remaining balance over a 12-month period. Those who owe less than $500 must pay 50 percent down and the balance over six months.

Baltimore officials hope to collect $20 million of the $100 million outstanding in its current fiscal year.