Kenney Signs Bill to Crack Down on Illegal Towing in Philly
istockphoto.com | Slobo
Mayor Jim Kenney signed a bill yesterday that will help the city crack down on illegal towing in Philadelphia.
The bill, which was introduced by Councilwoman Maria Quiñones-Sanchez and which won support from City Council last month, mandates that privately-owned towing companies can only remove cars that are parked in private parking lots and driveways if the cars have been ticketed by Philadelphia police, the Philadelphia Parking Authority or other city law enforcement agencies, like university police and SEPTA.
“Comprehensive towing reform will help ensure that all Philadelphians are protected from predatory practices and that business on our city streets is conducted legally,” Councilwoman Quiñones Sánchez said in a statement released yesterday.
Philadelphians who have fallen victim to illegal towing tactics have long pushed for the bill’s passage. Last August, a South Philly man claimed to have captured a tow-truck bait scheme on camera. The footage quickly went viral after he posted it to Facebook, with commenters sharing their own experiences with aggressive towers in Philly.
The law will go into effect next Wednesday.
Follow @ClaireSasko on Twitter.
