DOWNEY - Parking tickets in Downey just got more expensive.The City Council on Tuesday approved a state-mandated $3 increase on all parking citations. The extra revenue will not be kept by the city but will instead be collected and distributed to the State Trial Court Trust Fund. According to the state's Department of Finance, the trust fund is used for "the operational expenses of trial court operations including: services and supplies, salaries, benefits, and public agency retirement contributions for superior and municipal court judges and for subordinate judicial officers." As a result of the fee increase, the police department will replace its existing parking citation inventory at a cost of $5,700.

********** Published: January 27, 2011 - Volume 9 - Issue 41