ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News has learned new rules to help protect drivers from being booted aren't being enforced because of a lawsuit.
Channel 2's Dave Huddleston learned through City Hall sources the booting companies filed a lawsuit that said putting new signs that explain the new booting rules is costing them too much money.
An attorney who represents booting victims told Huddleston "It’s the wild west out there.”
Matt Wetherington said in December city leaders had established new rules and restrictions for booting companies — even demanding they put up these bright orange signs explaining the new policy.
But city leaders tell Huddleston those new rules have hit a snag.
“From my understanding from city legal, it’s not being enforced right now," City Councilman Amir Farokhi said.
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Why? He said the booting industry has filed a lawsuit stopping the new guidelines. These signs are costing them almost $750,000 to put up around the city.
“I’m hoping the city wins its legal position on this and we’ll see these around the city ASAP," Farokhi said.
Huddleston reached out to a representative of the booting industry and received this statement:
“Last month several members of the Georgia Parking Enforcement Coalition (GPEC) filed a law suit on behalf of the entire booting industry due to significant legal and public policy issues related to the sign a sole council member had promulgated upon the entire industry. While the lawsuit as filed speaks to the industry’s legal objections to the sign, GPEC wants the public to know about the significant policy concerns as well, the industry’s latest attempt to address the signage issue came in the wake of Council Farokhi’s legislative attempts to drive the industry out of business. When that failed he took his legislative authority and turned it into a “bully pulpit.”
The court hearing to finalize the ground rules for booting cars is May 20.