Title
Status of On-Line Parking Ticket System (NB)
City staff has written software to permit citizens to pay their parking tickets on-line. This is a status update on staff's on-line payment efforts.
Explanation
Staff began the process of writing a web-based parking payment system in January, 2006. The application required integration to the City's T2 Parking Ticket system, and to PayPal - the credit card processing firm. Further enhancements to the system have been incorporated, and now parking payments are transparently integrated with the City's cashiering system. This enhancement fully automates the posting of on-line payments to the City's finance system.
PayPal was deemed a cost-effective solution for handling credit card payments, although staff wanted an opportunity to evaluate their charge-back costs once the system had been in place for at least six months.
In the six months since this program's inception, the City has collected a net amount of $32,449 for 1,524 parking tickets. The cost to the City for using PayPal has been $1,437 - approximately 4.24%.
Staff believes that using PayPal continues to be a cost-effective approach and will continue to monitor this process and related costs. Should changes be required, recommendations will be brought forth for consideration.
Fiscal Note
None
Recommendation
The City Commission accept this status report.