Nassau offers deal for traffic scofflaws

Nassau County is offering parking and red-light camera scofflaws a deal in which they can avoid a new boot and tow program if they agree to pay some of their tickets and work out a payment plan for the rest, county officials said after the first five days of the program.

After paying at least one ticket, vehicle owners with red-light camera violations will be eligible to try to negotiate an agreement to spread payment for the remaining tickets over a period of months, said retired Judge John Marks, who runs the county's Traffic and Parking Violations Agency.

Parking violators must pay between 25 and 33 percent of what they owe before becoming eligible to arrange a similar plan, Marks said.

"This, though, is their last chance for any kind of break," Marks said. "The first time our agreement is broken, then we're back to square one. They'll get credit for whatever they've paid, but they go back on the 'boot' list."

On March 19, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano announced that his "boot and tow" against scofflaws was to begin the next Monday. Vehicle owners who have failed to answer three or more tickets automatically go on the boot list.

Once a vehicle is booted, the owner must pay all fines and penalties plus a $166 boot fee by credit card within 48 hours. Otherwise the vehicle is towed, at a cost of $100 plus $25 a day for storage. If a car is booted in a work area or next to a fire hydrant, it will be towed immediately, Marks said.

Officials say the owners of some 8,000 vehicles owe Nassau a total of about $10 million.

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Since Mangano's announcement of the boot-and-tow program, scofflaws have paid a total of about $29,000, Marks said.

Parking tickets can be paid online at www.nassaucountyny.gov by clicking "eServices" and then going to "pay parking tickets online." Residents may call 866-790-4111 for information on outstanding red-light camera tickets. The Nassau Traffic and Parking Violations Agency can be reached at 516-572-2700.