Reno reports sharp drop in parking-ticket revenue

RENO — Officials in the city of Reno reported a sharp reduction in parking-ticket revenue last year.

Police Chief Steve Pitts said the city’s bare-bones parking enforcement team was ordered not to issue parking tickets in downtown Reno last year because of malfunctioning parking kiosks.

The Reno Gazette-Journal reported that the team was ordered to focus on residential parking around the University of Nevada, Reno.

With six parking enforcement officers in 2010, 69,000 citations were issued with a $1.1 million potential collection for the city. With only three officers last year, 11,000 citations were issued with a $592,000 potential collection.

The city collected nearly $400,000 in 2010 and $174,000 last year for roughly a 30 percent rate of return.