New Jersey lawmakers hope to legalize smart parking meters

The days of the meter maid may be over with if New Jersey lawmakers have their way How? Well, it could all soon be done from behind a computer screen. As your time runs out the meter takes a picture of your car and you get a ticket in the mail

If you forget to feed the meter in downtown Collingswood chances are you'll get a parking ticket. But soon New Jersey towns may be issuing a lot more of those tickets and you can thank technology.

"It's another layer of taking money from the little guy," Matt Hamilton said.

Residents are just hearing about a plan in the New Jersey assembly to legalize smart parking meters. The digital meters would allow police to remotely monitor your meter. The second it expires, you'll get the parking ticket in the mail. Some call it big brother being sneaky.

"It's going to draw people away from these towns and they're going to be going to other place and it's going to draw business away," Kevin Maurer.

Under the bill, parking meters would be integrated with mobile apps allowing drivers to pay for more time on their smartphone.

The town of Palisades Park, New Jersey used the smart meters for a trial and violations went up 190% in the first 5 months.

Some believe downtown businesses would suffer.

"I can't see the business owners wanting it. The people in the town wanting it. We want people to come here and that is a deterrent," Matt Devlin said.

If the bill is passed it would be up to individual municipalities to implement the new meters. Some say it's the sign of the times.

"On one hand, I hope that it encourage people to walk instead of driving. On the other hand, coming from Philadelphia I know what it's like to have a very evil parking bureau, so I can see both sides, Elisabeth Yucis said.