Three members of the local Congressional delegation have teamed up to take on U.N. diplomats who park wherever they please in New York City and then skip out on paying the fine.
The bill, introduced today by Michael Grimm of Staten Island, Ed Towns of Brooklyn and Peter King of Long Island, would withhold foreign aid to nation with unpaid parking tickets, and re-direct that money to New York City and Washington D.C.
“There’s no such thing as ‘diplomatic immunity’ from paying parking tickets,” said Grimm. “If you get a ticket in NYC, you have to pay it. No exceptions. New York City’s budget is tight enough as it is, and foreign diplomats do not deserve a free pass at the expense of New York City taxpayers. I stand behind my legislation and will hold accountable those foreign nations with outstanding fines.”
Current law states that 110 percent of the total unpaid parking fines are to be withheld from foreign aid. The trio’s legislation would require that the Secretary of State deny the renewal of diplomatic license plates, withhold any obligated funds, and reappropriate those funds to the locale where they occurred.
Said Towns, “While we appreciate the important roles diplomats play in society and we welcome them with open arms to our city, fair is fair…Parking is tough is New York City and we must all play by the rules.”
They say that foreign diplomats have incurred more than $17.2 million in parking fines.
