TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Looking for a way out of a parking ticket? Donate some canned goods to a food bank.
That’s a proposal being considered by the Tampa City Council. The program would run for about a month over the winter holidays.
Councilman Guido Maniscalco says the idea is to let people pay off some of their parking fines by donating food to the needy.
Tallahassee launched a similar program in November that lets first-time parking offenders get $1 of credit toward their fine for every food item donated.
The cap is $50.
The program brought in 297 pounds of food, enough for 250 meals.
Tampa officials will consider the proposal on Thursday.
Most parking fines in Tampa run $25 or $30. Parking in a handicapped spot runs $251.
