The City of Chicago ticketing policy has reportedly affected minority neighborhoods disproportionately and many, including one local band member and founder, said she too has noticed the automatic cameras in the city are primarily located in certain neighborhoods.

The City of Chicago issues over 3 million tickets per year for a wide range of parking, vehicle compliance and automated traffic camera violations. According to ProPublica Illinois, the average cost of these tickets ranges from $25 for broken headlights to $250 for parking in a disabled zone. In 2007, approximately 1,000 Chapter 13 bankruptcy filings were for unpaid tickets, with an average debt to the City of Chicago of $1,500. 

As of last year, there were over 10,000 Chapter 13 bankruptcy filings with an average debt of around $3,900. Chicago has increased ticket fines, license suspensions and advanced its traffic camera program from 2007 to 2021. Chicago motorists currently owe $1.45 billion in ticket debt dating back to September 1990, according to ProPublica Illinois. The city mails multiple notices to vehicle owners before fines double, get sent to collections or result in a car being booted. There is no statute of limitations for unpaid tickets in Illinois, so once debt accumulates, it can last indefinitely.

Chicago's ticket debt disproportionately affects low-income, mostly black neighborhoods. Eight of the 10 ZIP codes with the most accumulated ticket debt per adult are majority black, according to a ProPublica analysis of ticket data in Illinois since 2007 and figures from the U.S. Census. Black neighborhoods account for 40% of all debt, even though they only account for 22% of all tickets issued in the city over the past decade, indicating the burden of debt on the poor.

Sonja Hill, founder and member of the local Chicago band Soul Street Collective, said, "I think I can agree with that," when asked if she thinks the city's policy is regressive and targeting black and minority communities.

In fact, she said, "When I go into other neighborhoods, I don't see those cameras." When asked if she's come across the city's ticketing policy when she's encountered people she said, "definitely" and that "absolutely" people are being affected. 

"It's like every time you look up, here is something in the mail," Hill said. "But when I go into other neighborhoods and demographics, I absolutely don't see that."

Cook County, Illinois has a city code that allows the city to revoke a business license if an individual does not pay or is unable to pay issued tickets. This is outlined in Sec. 54-391 of the Cook County Code of Ordinances, which states that a license may be suspended by the Department of Revenue if an individual has failed to pay a fine, assessment of costs or other sum of money owed to the county. The suspension will remain in place until the fine is fully paid. If a license is denied, suspended or revoked, the business is immediately closed, but the applicant may appeal the decision. If the appeal is successful, the business license will be reinstated. Otherwise, the decision will be upheld and the Department of Revenue can file an appeal with Circuit Court.

Hill said she has not encountered any individuals or businesses who lost their licenses due to unpaid parking or red light/traffic tickets.

"No, I have not been that up close and personal to be able to witness that," Hill said.

According to a Chicago Sun Times report, ticketing in the city of Chicago was up 25.7% during the first six months of 2022 — from 853,906 tickets through June 30 of last year to 1,073,919 tickets during the same period this year. Booting and ticketing are two of the city government’s biggest revenue generators.

Previous reporting has highlighted the impact of the city’s aggressive ticketing regime, most notably in the form of hundreds of city cameras across the city, which generate tens of millions of dollars a year for city hall. Block Club Chicago says the cameras have come at a steep cost for motorists particularly from the city’s black and Latino neighborhoods.

"I mean, obviously it is a lucrative policy for the city. But, you know, it's still in our pockets," Hill said.

Special note from the Southland Marquee: This story is part of a collection highlighting how Cook County and City of Chicago policy affect freelancers, small business owners and ride-share drivers.