The Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) is an agency of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Maryl ...
that manages many parking operations for
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
.
The PPA was created by the
Philadelphia City Council
The Philadelphia City Council, the legislative body of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, consists of ten members elected by district and seven members elected at-large. The council president is elected by the members from among their number. Each ...
on January 11, 1950, for the purpose of conducting research for management of off-street parking and to establish a permanent, coordinated system of parking facilities in the city.
Since then, the PPA's scope has expanded to include parking operations at the
Philadelphia International Airport
Philadelphia International Airport is the primary airport serving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The airport served 19.6 million passengers annually in 2021, making it the 21st busiest airport in the United States. The airport is located from t ...
, most street-parking policy enforcement, and regulation and enforcement of taxicabs and limousines.
The PPA's status as an agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania rather than the City of Philadelphia allows for the Republican-controlled state authorities to offer
patronage positions in the largely Democratic city.
The former board chairman Joseph Ashedale has over 10 family members on the agency's payroll. An audit found the former PPA's director, former Republican state representative Scott Petri, did not meet the minimum qualifications of the job description and his $210,000 salary was above comparable positions in other cities.
The Parking Authority:
* Generates needed revenue for the city
* Coordinates the parking efforts of public agencies
* Builds and operates public parking facilities
* Does planning and analysis of parking requirements
to provide full parking services for
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
residents, businesses and visitors.
In popular culture it is the basis of the reality television show ''
Parking Wars
''Parking Wars'' is an American reality television series that aired on the A&E television network from 2008 to 2012. The program followed parking enforcement officers as they engaged in ticketing, "booting", towing and releasing vehicles back ...
''.
Policies
Off-street parking
Originally, the Parking Authority provided
parking garages
A multistorey car park (British and Singapore English) or parking garage (American English), also called a multistory, parking building, parking structure, parkade (mainly Canadian), parking ramp, parking deck or indoor parking, is a build ...
and
parking lots
A parking lot (American English) or car park (British English), also known as a car lot, is a cleared area intended for parking vehicles. The term usually refers to an area dedicated only for parking, with a durable or semi-durable surface ...
, but various city departments were responsible for on-street parking.
On-street parking
In 1982, Philadelphia City Council was authorized by the
Pennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times (1682–1776), the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania ...
to delegate certain powers formerly exercised by various city departments to the Parking Authority. In April, 1983, City Council transferred on-street parking responsibilities to the Authority.
Functions transferred from the Streets Department:
* Location, installation and maintenance of all parking meters throughout the city
* Preparation of documentation to modify existing or implement new parking regulations, establishing time limits, loading zones, fire hydrant restrictions, reserved parking for people with disabilities, tow-away zones and residential permit parking
* Preparation of work orders for parking regulations signs
Functions transferred from the Revenue Department:
* Meter Collections
Functions transferred from the
Police Department
The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and ...
:
* Issuance and processing of parking tickets
* Towing of motor vehicles
* Impoundment of motor vehicles
However, both Police Department officers and
SEPTA
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly 4 million people in five coun ...
supervisors can issue parking tickets.
Functions transferred from the Department of Licenses and Inspections:
* Issuance of Loading Zone Permits
* Administration of the Residential Parking Permit Program
A vast majority of revenue for On-Street parking for PPA is generated from ticketing violations (63%) and meter parking (29%). Other revenue categories comprise less than 9% of PPA's On-Street parking income.
Booting
A program to "
boot
A boot is a type of footwear. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle, while some also cover some part of the lower calf. Some boots extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is cle ...
" repeat parking violation offenders was authorized by City Council in 1983.
Taxicabs and limousines
The Authority was authorized by the General Assembly in July 2004 to regulate
taxis
A taxis (; ) is the movement of an organism in response to a stimulus such as light or the presence of food. Taxes are innate behavioural responses. A taxis differs from a tropism (turning response, often growth towards or away from a stimulu ...
and
limousines
A limousine ( or ), or limo () for short, is a large, chauffeur-driven luxury vehicle with a partition between the driver compartment and the passenger compartment.
A very long wheelbase luxury sedan (with more than four doors) driven by a prof ...
operating in the city, and to adopt and enforce regulations for their operations.
Red Light Camera Program
The Authority has been authorized by the General Assembly to administer a pilot red light enforcement program.
Cameras are installed at intersections with a high accident rate, and fines are imposed for motorists who run red lights. Notices are sent by mail to offenders, based on photos of license plates and the motorists themselves.
Staff
PPA Executive Staff
* Executive Director – Dennis Weldon
* Deputy Executive Director – Richard Dickson
* Deputy Executive Director – Corinne O'Connor
Board Members
Originally, the Authority's board of directors was controlled by city officials, but the legislature, acting at the initiative of Representative
John Perzel
John Michael Perzel (born January 7, 1950) is an American politician and member of the Republican Party. Perzel represented 172nd Legislative District (Northeast Philadelphia) in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1978 until 2010. F ...
,
has shifted control to state officials, including the Governor and officers of the legislature.
PPA Team Members
The Philadelphia Parking Authority
* Beth C. Grossman, Chairwoman
* Patricia M. Furlong
* Lynette M. Brown-Sow
* Alfred W. Taubenberger
* Obra S. Kernodle, IV
* Mark C. Nicastre
Finances
See also
* ''Parking Wars
''Parking Wars'' is an American reality television series that aired on the A&E television network from 2008 to 2012. The program followed parking enforcement officers as they engaged in ticketing, "booting", towing and releasing vehicles back ...
'' – A&E television series featuring the PPA
Notes
References
{{Authority control
Government of Philadelphia
Municipal authorities in Pennsylvania
Organizations based in Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...