Hate that boot on your car? Removing it might become less of a pain in your wallet

Miami city commissioners will decide on Thursday whether to reduce fines — from $89 to $40 — charged by companies that use devices known as boots to immobilize cars in private parking lots.

The ordinance seeks to tighten rules that should be followed by companies dedicated to immobilizing vehicles. Commissioners are scheduled to vote for or against the reduction during Thursday's municipal meeting at Miami's City Hall, at 3500 Pan American Drive, which begins at 9 a.m. In a preliminary vote on Sept. 28, the proposal by Mayor Tomás Regalado was unanimously approved.

The ordinance also would force companies to place signs that clearly let drivers know that their vehicles could be immobilized. They should also include a warning notice in the window of the cars to which they place their boots on the tires, with the contact information of the company that placed the device and the fee that must be paid to remove it.

The proposed ordinance also would change the way these companies report their activities to the city. If the new rules are approved, companies will be required to contact the Miami Police Department within 30 minutes of immobilizing a vehicle and must report information about each car, including the license plate number. The city will implement an electronic system to manage the reports.

The changes come after a Univision 23 investigation revealed alleged abusive practices by boot companies, including an alleged stealing of public money that is now being investigated by the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.

During the preliminary vote on Sept. 28, several representatives of companies that immobilized vehicles opposed the proposal, arguing, among other things, that an entire industry should not suffer the consequences of the mistakes of some “bad apples.”

The TV investigation revealed that the industry was so out of control in Miami that at least two companies did not pay the city the $25 administrative fee per every fine they issued. Elite Booting had never delivered any reports or payments since it began operating in Miami in March 2016. Elite owed $186,000 in public money that was paid after the debt was uncovered.

Meanwhile detectives are trying to determine if another company, Premier Booting, altered the reports it sends to the city of Miami in order to avoid paying the mandatory administrative fee. The investigation started after a review of the reports Premier sent to city of Miami along with its payments of administrative fees, revealed that the company did not disclose several fines it charged drivers.

Under the current system, companies can place the devices to immobilize the rims of illegally parked vehicles, and the city allows them to charge drivers up to $89 per vehicle to remove the devices. For each fine, companies must pay $25 to the city.

If the ordinance is approved, the city would now receive $15 for every $40 the companies charge.

This story was originally published October 24, 2017 at 5:11 PM with the headline "Hate that boot on your car? Removing it might become less of a pain in your wallet."