What happens to the money in Kent’s parking meters?

We may be moving toward a cashless society, but we’re not there yet. An item on a recent Kent City Council agenda reveals that the humble quarter is alive and well.

City Finance Director Rhonda Hall’s monthly report about parking revenue shows the city collecting about 230,000 quarters in the first four months of the year. But parking isn’t a big money-maker for the city.

We did some digging to find out why.

First installed in 2014, the meters line the sidewalks in Kent’s downtown area. Council agreed with downtown business owners, who said more turnover would boost business. Meters are one way to keep people moving.

Council approved $750,000 for the meters, which now number more than 300.

The city installed the meters and created a parking meter fund to cover costs related to operating and maintaining the meters themselves, as well as regulating and controlling parking in the meter zones.

In 2024, that meter fund totaled $177,584. Through April 2025, the quarters have added up to $57,502, Hall said.

There’s also the money Kent receives from people who opt not to pay the meters, or who overstay their welcome.

In 2024, Kent motorists paid $183,420 in parking ticket revenue, Hall said. In the first four months of this year, the city received $46,575: $10,045 for January, $9,595 for February, $10,880 for March and $16,055 for April.

The money pays for the city’s compliance officers, fuel for their vehicles, bank and credit card fees, and the cost of collections, Hall said. Excess revenue, which she characterized as “minimal,” goes toward maintaining and repairing the meters and upgrading the meters’ software.

“We try to build up funds in the cost center so that we don’t have to rely on capital funds when meters, batteries or the system need replaced or updated,” she said.

Technology glitches

The meters must be fed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m on weekdays. Parking is free on weeknights, weekends and on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas and Good Friday. If any of those days falls on a Sunday, the next day (Monday) is considered a meter-free holiday. The mayor can also designate parking holidays.

The meters originally had a maximum time limit of two hours, but if a motorist paid for that much time and vacated the spot before the two hours was up, the next motorist could not add more time. The result? More tickets being issued.

In a November 2024 letter to City Manager Dave Ruller, Community Development Director Bridget Susel stated that the meters were meant to keep downtown parking spaces rotating, not “as a means of penalizing for parking violations.”

Council extended the maximum time limit on the meters from from two to three hours. Susel also noted that certain weather conditions rendered the meters’ LCD screens difficult to read. Council extended discretion to the city’s compliance officers, allowing them not to issue parking citations during such weather.

How quarters become dollars

Should people opt not to feed the meters, the quarters quickly turn into dollars. Motorists first receive a $15 ticket, increased to $50 after 30 days. After 45 days, the tickets are reported to a collections agency and assessed an additional $15.

If a person gets a second ticket within 10 days of receiving and not paying the first one, the second ticket automatically means a $25 penalty. If the second ticket isn’t paid within 10 days, the city can tow the vehicle.

“We don’t go looking for these vehicles, but there are cars that we recognize due to numerous parking violations, or tickets that the driver acquired,” said Compliance Officer Marla Dunn.

Motorists may dispute their tickets online. If they wish to contest their parking tickets in court, they find themselves answering to a minor misdemeanor charge punishable by up to $150, plus court costs and fines.