The Legality of Parking Meter Ordinances and Permissible Use of Parking Meter Funds

Abstract

ONE of the most critical problems facing cities today is that of proper traffic control and regulation. Because of the enormous increase in the number of registered motor vehicles within California, its cities have been particularly vexed.' The growth of vehicular traffic during the last decade throughout America caused most cities to enact ordinances regulating the length of time for parking in a given space. Practical enforcement of such regulations not only met with difficulty but also failed to furnish anticipated results. In 1936 the municipal authorities of Oklahoma City turned to the parking meter, hopeful of finding a solution to the downtown parking problem. Experience since that time has indicated that the parking meter is no panacea but is, nevertheless, a useful device greatly facilitating efficient traffic control and regulation. The primary purpose of the parking meter is to regulate auto parking in otherwise congested areas. A secondary but nonetheless important purpose is to provide necessary revenues to finance an adequate traffic control program.2 In the eleven years since their first