Indonesian diplomats rack up $725,000 in NYC parking tickets
A “No Parking” notice in New York City in February, 2011. The city is reportedly owed $725,000 in unpaid parking tickets racked up by Indonesian diplomats and their staff.
Is it time to sanction countries that commit grave offenses within U.S. borders… such as double-parking in front of a New York City fire hydrant?
According to draft legislation pushed by New York lawmakers, the time has come. Reuters reports that various diplomats owe New York City $17 million in unpaid parking tickets.
The three worst offenders are Indonesia ($725,000), Nigeria ($1 million) and Egypt ($1.9 million.)
The draft legislation, according to Reuters, would shut off diplomatic driving licenses to any country that stiffs the U.S. The oultet also notes that, legally, 110 percent of unpaid fines can be sapped from the offending country's debt obligations or promised aid payments.
But this rarely happens.
An Indonesian lawmaker contacted by the Jakarta Post admitted that the fines have "embarassed" the Indonesian government. "We don’t understand how we could have gotten such high fines," he said. We could have paid them because the money for the Foreign Ministry has always been channeled on time."
Unknown Object
Without federal support, local stations, especially in rural and underserved areas, face deep cuts or even closure. Vital public service alerts, news, storytelling, and programming like The World will be impacted. The World has weathered many storms, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to being your trusted source for human-centered international news, shared with integrity and care. We believe public media is about truth and access for all. As an independent, nonprofit newsroom, we aren’t controlled by billionaire owners or corporations. We are sustained by listeners like you.
Now more than ever, we need your help to support our global reporting work and power the future of The World.