Pay Your Parking Ticket With Food Donations In Breckenridge
BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (CBS4)- Get a parking ticket in one mountain town and you could pay off the fine in a way that benefits the community.
The Breckenridge Police Department recently partnered with The Family and Intercultural Resource Center in a "Food for Fines" parking ticket amnesty program.
"This allows us to collect on unpaid parking tickets and help the community in a big way," program director and Breckenridge Police Sgt. Lyn Herford said.
By donating food or money to the FIRC, participants will receive a reduction to their parking fines.
Between May 2 and May 13 Herford says if parking violators bring non-perishable food items to the police department during regular business hours, they will get a reduction in fines.
"May is kind of shoulder season up here so there is a lot of folks who need the services of food banks," said Herford.
Additional Information from Breckenridge Police:
- Bring Five or more non-perishable food items to the police department and you will result in a one-time, $15 reduction to a parking citation. (Maximum reduction of $15 per ticket up to three tickets. For example: 15 items will result in a $15 reduction on three separate tickets).
- Cash donations to the FIRC will also result in one-time reduction. A cash donation of $5 or more will result in a $15 reduction. (Maximum reduction of $15 per ticket up to three tickets. For example, a donation of $15 or more will result in up to three tickets being reduced by $15).
To qualify with an online donation, you must follow these steps.
o Option 1: bring your donation receipt to the police department during normal business hours
o Option 2: Email your donation receipt to parking@townofbreckenridge.com. Within two business days, your citation(s) will be reduced accordingly. You may then pay your ticket online at www.townofbreckenridge.com/parking or in person at the police department. Making an online donation does not prevent further action on the citation (such as an escalated fine or a vehicle being subject to towing if a citation is not paid within the due date).
- Citations that have already resulted in a court summons are not eligible for a Food for Fines reduction.
- "Food for Fines" does not accept out-of-date, damaged or open canned goods and highly encourages donations that are protein and/or vegetable based. Items most needed: pasta, pasta sauce, beans, rice, tuna, diapers, toiletries(NO green beans please).
Matt Kroschel covers news throughout Colorado working from the CBS4 Mountain Newsroom. Send story ideas to mrkroschel@cbs.com and connect with him on Twitter @Matt_Kroschel.