MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson signed a reckless driving ordinance Friday, related to the impounding of vehicles.
The ordinance allows the city to tow and impound a car if the owner is cited for reckless driving and has a prior unpaid reckless driving fine. Earlier this month, Gov. Evers signed a bill into law allowing municipalities to enforce those measures.
“When it comes to the rules of the road, we simply want folks to obey the law," Mayor Johnson said.
Watch: The press conference and signing with Mayor Johnson:
Milwaukee Municipal Court data shows 77 percent of reckless driving tickets issued over the past three years in Milwaukee have not been paid.
In order for drivers to get their car back, they have to pay their reckless driving fines which will soon be $400 for a first offense. Additionally, they'll have to pay a tow fee of $105-$120. Each day their vehicle is left at the tow lot costs $20.
Arguably the biggest penalty is if that doesn't happen in 90 days, their car is repossessed and recycled or put up for sale in an auction.
“There are way too many loopholes right now," said Alderman Lamont Westmoreland.
Ald. Westmoreland doesn't think the new tow ordinance goes far enough.
“You have to be the owner of the vehicle for your vehicle to get impounded," he said. "What that does is it saves people who are borrowing that car from their girlfriend or they’re borrowing the car from mom or grandma.”
The newly elected alderman thinks all vehicles driven by reckless drivers should wind up at the tow lot. But for that to happen, state law would need to change once again.
"At the end of the day, more has to be done and we don’t have time to drag our feet," he said.
The mayor's office tells TMJ4 the Milwaukee Police Department will start enforcing this new tow policy in about two weeks.
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