Cuomo Says He’ll Put a Stop to Parking Placard Abuse

Governor Andrew Cuomo said the practice of issuing parking placards to state employees and elected officials "is prone to abuse" and he is planning to overhaul the entire system.

"Police placards are actually an abuse that goes back 15 or 20 years I'll bet when you look," Cuomo said Wednesday. "Every nine months there’s a story on abuse of a police placard." 

Last week, WNYC reported the Cuomo Administration issued about 3,500 placards that read "This vehicle is on official police business" even when bearers, in many cases, had no law enforcement responsibilities. 

The placards often allow cars to be parked in areas where others cannot, and are distributed by the state division of Homeland Security. Who gets them, and why, has not been fully explained. Cuomo attributed the abuse to the "design of the system."

Many legislators and staffers take them to be a perk that comes with working for state government.

Cuomo said the placards "are issued to state employees, elected officials, to be used when they are on official business and they are put in the windshield of the car and the car is allowed to park in areas. They are also used to gain admission to secure areas."

Legislators have argued the placards enable them to attend several events in a day without having to spend time searching for parking. But there are many well documented instances of bearers using them for personal reasons or to park at fire hydrants or other areas that are strictly off-limits.

Cuomo said his Inspector General, Ellen Biben, had been investigating a number of specific incidents of parking placard abuse. The inspector general reported she believes the entire system is flawed and that unless the system is redesigned, "you will have those incidents of abuse recurring," Cuomo said, before adding he would follow her recommendations and "reform the system."

The governor’s office responded to WNYC’s earlier report by saying it was "reviewing" the matter.  But Cuomo, who was elected to office on a platform of ending "business as usual," said Wednesday he would be announcing details of his reforms "shortly."