Annoyed by the number of residents who routinely refuse to buy vehicle stickers, Oak Lawn Mayor Sandra Bury wants to increase late fees and fines for scofflaws.
Bury said village research show that up to 30 percent of residents do not buy the annual stickers. That’s way too many and is unfair to those who do, Bury said at Tuesday night’s Village Board meeting.
She said it “bothers” her that about “30 percent of our residents are not conscientious and blow off buying their vehicle stickers. I would like to see, out of respect for those who are conscientious and abide by the law, an increase in penalties for (not buying) vehicle stickers.”
Right now, the late fees start at $10 and peak at $40, depending how much time has passed beyond the July 31 deadline. Bury would double those amounts as well as boosting the fine for being ticketed from $50 to $100.
The current penalties “are so weak, people don’t care to comply,” the mayor said.
Trustees took no action on her recommendations, but she cautioned, “I don’t want to see this go away until next year.”
She gave trustees a chart comparing Oak Lawn’s sticker fees and fines for passenger cars with those of Evergreen Park, Evanston, Tinley Park, Orland Park, Matteson, Glen Ellyn and Chicago. Only Orland Park charges less $15 per year) and Tinley Park also charges $25. The ticket fines range from $10 in Orland Park to a whopping $200 in Chicago, according to the chart.
Under Bury’s proposal there would be no increase in the sticker’s original price of $19 for motorcycles, $25 for passenger cars and $35 to $71 for trucks. The current late fee is an extra $10 in August and September, $20 in October through December, $30 in January through March and $40 from April through June.
Oak Lawn’s finance director, Brian Hanigan, said the village’s sticker-related costs are about $30,000 a year, and sticker sales bring in $800,000 annually.
“We have people from Chicago who come in and try to buy Oak Lawn stickers because our’s cost less,” he said.
Trustee Bud Stalker, 5th District said the village needs to take a closer look at the vehicle sticker program.
“I’m not ready to move on any increase or any change without further information as to what we can do to replace it or go to a tax that makes some sense,” Stalker said.
Trustee Bob Streit, 3rd District, usually disagrees with Bury, and this time was no exception.
“This village is big on fines and penalties. Obviously, the mayor is a strong proponent of fines and penalties,” Streit said. “She expressed that very clearly”
He said he would not want to increase the penalties when the board may do away with the stickers.
Trustee Alex Olejniczak, 2nd District, suggested just that, saying Oak Lawn could include the vehicle fee on water bills, ensuring that the fee compliance would be much greater.
“Right now, we have … to pay to print the stickers, administrative, what it costs to run the program. We may be better off (with alternate ways). A water bill is one constant,” Olejniczak said, adding that putting the fee in water bills would prevent police from having to check vehicles for stickers, potentially saving the village more money.
“I want to take a look at all the costs. I’m sure we can find a better way,” he said.
Streit isn’t sold on the idea of adding the sticker fee to water bills.
“I have an aversion to governmental fees and licenses. Really, all it amounts to is a way for government to have their hand in your pocket. As a small-business owner and as a resident, I don’t like it more than anyone else,” Streit said.
