SAN DIEGO - The City of San Diego is losing about $1.5 Million dollars on towing and auctioning off vehicles each year, and one city leader wants to change that.
“We’re not giving people a free pass, and there do have to be consequences for breaking the rules,” Councilmember Stephen Whitburn told NBC 7.
Whitburn says that's because people don't end up paying their citations and the money from the auctions just aren't adding up. Last November an audit found the city's towing program was really hurting low-income families and the homeless and has lead to loss of jobs and employment
“We don’t want to criminalize poverty,” said Whitburn. "We want to help people make ends meet.
Whitburn and others are advocating for a text-before-tow service or placing parking boots on wheels instead of hauling cars away but there's no timeline on when new solutions could be presented or implemented.