Syracuse parking boot program extended for two years

Monday's vote extended the City's contract with Paylock, the company that provides the boots and equipment. In exchange, the company gets 15 percent of the revenue the boots generate.

Before Paylock and the boot, the City was earning about $1.7 million in parking fines each year. In each of the two years since the program began, the City has earned about $4 million.

Dustin Czarny of the Parking Violations Bureau says the City expects that level of success to continue. "As people pay their parking tickets before late charges are on we expect to stay at the revenue for parking tickets around the $3.8, $3.9 million," he said.

While it does bring in money the City also sees it as more than simply a revenue generator. The boot is considered part of the overall parking program in the City, and appears to have helped the parking situation.

"We do see a lot more turnover parking, people not staying the whole day and just doing their two hours or less than two hours and also paying the meters as well," said Czarny. "We're starting to see revenue increase at the meters themselves."

Due to the past success, the City is also considering making the program tougher. "We need to put it on the road more hours and are exploring possibly putting another van on the road," said Deputy Mayor John Cowin.