The Allentown Parking Authority is responsible for both off and on-street parking within the City of Allentown, Pennsylvania.The Allentown Parking Authority owns and manages five parking garages in downtown/center city, Allentown and leases 29 surface lots plus one parking ramp which make up a total of over 4,020 parking spaces.The Allentown Parking Authority is responsible for the enforcement of both City and State parking regulations, by way of parking tickets, towing, wheel booting and/or impounding vehicles.The Allentown Parking Authority currently regulates 1,500+ parking meters.2008 Allentown Parking Authority StatisticsIn 2008 the Allentown Parking Authority...Issued 108,289 parking ticketsImmobilized 428 vehiclesImpounded 1,002 vehiclesHad a total operating cost of: $3,041,000.00Had a total income of: $5,682,000.00CriticismsResidents have criticized the Allentown Parking Authority for targeting low-income families living in "center city" Allentown by way of excessive fines and unnecessary meter parking.The Allentown Parking Authority has also been criticized for disrupting commerce in Allentown’s Downtown "shopping district" by way of overzealous ticketing during standard business hours and unnecessary meter parking.The Allentown Parking Authority has also been criticized for indirectly implementing a "Ticketing Quota" by way of budgeting its operations via revenue generated by ticketing vehiclesThe Allentown Parking Authority has also been criticized for wasteful spending and flaunting its high-priced "Parking Enforcement Technology" while schools in the Allentown School District go under-funded
