Lawrence considers accepting canned food for parking fines

Lawrence is considering allowing people to pay parking tickets with canned goods or monetary donations to food pantries.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports that city commissioners are considering the issue Tuesday.

Currently, a parking ticket fine is $3. The city had projected bringing in $545,202 to the parking fund from overtime parking violations in 2016.

Staff projects that the city would receive $30,000 less annually in parking fines, assuming about 6 percent of parking violators participated in the alternative payment option.

The money pays for three police officers and several other staff members.

Options the council will consider include a pilot program. Alternatively, the program could be offered year-round with fines staying the same or increasing to $5 to offset the revenue loss.

This story was originally published February 29, 2016 at 9:36 AM with the headline "Lawrence considers accepting canned food for parking fines."