Most parking tickets in Brookline will cost $45 starting Sunday, July 19, up from $25 or $30, the Brookline Police Department announced Friday, July 17. The increase is the first since 2007.

The BPD posted the announcement on its official X account with less than 48 hours' notice before the new rates take effect. The July 19 date is earlier than the July 29 effective date the town had previously indicated after the Select Board's May vote. The department directed drivers to view the updated fine schedule at police.brooklinema.gov under "parking and traffic," though the page was not loading as of Saturday, July 18.

What changed

The Select Board voted unanimously on Wednesday, May 13 to raise fines on what Brookline.News reported as 33 types of parking violations. Most fines jumped from $25–$30 to $45. Double parking, parking on sidewalks, and parking in crosswalks now carry a $50 fine.

Select Board member Anthony Buono pushed the fines higher than the $40 originally proposed by Town Administrator Charles Carey. At the May 13 meeting, Buono argued the increase was overdue.

"I think that gets more money into revenue. I think it will disincentivize bad behavior, and I think it catches all these fines up to inflation from where 2007 was, or at least the best we can," Buono said at the meeting.

Why the increase

Brookline is facing a projected $5.3 million budget gap over the next three years. Carey estimated the higher fines would generate an additional $1.1 million in revenue for the next fiscal year when he first proposed the increase at a Tuesday, March 31 Select Board meeting. He noted at the time that other communities already charge more than Brookline.

Business community pushback

The Charles River Regional Chamber said it was caught off guard by the vote. Chamber president Greg Reibman said after the May 13 vote that he hoped the board would revisit the fines and give businesses a chance to weigh in.

The chamber had written to the Select Board and Transportation Board before the vote asking the town to pause any decision until the business community could be consulted. The board moved forward anyway.

What drivers should know

The new fines apply to common violations including parking at an unpaid meter and impeding snow removal. The Brookline Police Department's non-emergency line is (617) 730-2222. Residents can also email [email protected].