In a frustrating battle with city officials, Jonathan Steinberg, a Parkinson’s disease sufferer, has been fighting against unjust parking ticket charges and the confiscation of his car. Despite having a disabled parking permit, the city claims that Steinberg owes thousands of dollars in unpaid tickets. This has left him unable to travel and confined to his home. Steinberg accuses the city of targeting disabled individuals and taunting those with Parkinson’s disease. However, the city argues that his permit has expired, despite the Department of Transportation’s own website stating that pandemic-related extensions are in effect until 2023.
Steinberg has been trying to renew his permit but has been faced with obstacles due to pandemic-related red tape. Unable to navigate public transportation easily, Steinberg relies on his car for mobility. Parkinson’s patients, like Steinberg, struggle with balance and can be at great risk of injury while traveling on unstable surfaces, such as buses and subways. Moreover, Steinberg’s mobility issues are aggravated by spinal stenosis, causing back pain while standing.
Due to circumstances during the pandemic, Steinberg’s car was totaled and he had to obtain a new one with a different license plate, resulting in the need for a new parking permit. However, he faced confusion and conflicting information from city representatives, leading to further delays. Steinberg displayed an expired temporary permit on his dashboard with a note explaining his ongoing application for a permanent plate change, but he continued to receive tickets. The city argues that his permit was expired and did not correspond to his license plate, claiming that his petition to fight the charges was invalid.
In response to inquiries about the situation, the Department of Finance, Law, and Transportation declined to comment further. Steinberg expressed his frustration, stating that the city had extended permits without informing parking attendants. As a result, his car was booted, towed, and ultimately auctioned off, despite there being a valid permit application in process. Steinberg believes that the city is responsible for causing and exacerbating this problem, making his life unnecessarily difficult while he battles with Parkinson’s disease.
Steinberg’s situation highlights the challenges faced by people with disabilities in a city that claims to provide accommodations. Despite laws that are meant to protect and support individuals with disabilities, the city’s infrastructure is inhospitable. Many applicants for disabled parking permits are denied due to insufficient supporting documentation. Katherine Macfarlane, an associate law professor and disability advocate, emphasizes the complexity and exhaustion that come with fighting for the rights entitled by law. She criticizes the city for its failure to provide straightforward and easy accommodations, stating that it is embarrassing for one of the greatest cities in the world to fall short in its treatment of disabled individuals like Steinberg.
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