I mean, there have been lists published from year to year about the very large amount of money that's owed to the city on parking tickets.
Well, the list may be up. New York City says it has finally obtained government approval to crack down.
It's being called the Diplomatic Summons Program. The State Department will now refuse to issue or renew any car registration belonging to a mission or consulate that has unpaid parking tickets from the year before.
We now have the muscle to back up what we've been trying to do for the last three years. That is to get diplomats to understand that they have to park legally, just like all other New Yorkers.
How bad is the problem? Just last year, there were 125,817 outstanding tickets, not including staff cars.
At an average price of $40, New York City is owed more than $5 million.
New York, which likes to be first, isn't in this case. The U.S. Congress voted to cut foreign aid if an embassy didn't pay up their overdue tickets in Washington, D.C.
In both cities, the leader of the pack is Russia. More than 20,000 unpaid tickets last year in New York. They were still parking on the sidewalk in front of the mission.
Can I ask you a quick question? Do you know you're going to get a parking ticket there?
You are. And in the shadow of the U.N. itself, traffic officer Odeye found a car from the Bulgaria mission, number four on the naughty mission list.
About 134, and it got three already today. I think all the diplomats will comply with whatever the city decides.
If this plan poses too many problems for diplomats in parking and getting to work, they could try the very excellent New York City subway system or the bus system.
Are you willing to take the metro or the subway if it comes to that? We are at walking distance.
I think they should pay everything as they get, not us. We got to support them and pay for their parking, which is not fair. They should all pay for them.
And once Washington formally agrees to the plan, they will all be paying or not driving. Richard Roth, CNN, United Nations.
And finally, George Fust Jr. won't have to worry about parking his 1966 Mustang very much longer, but some lucky winner will. He heads a suburban Detroit school board that's had to cut $3.5 million from this year's budget in hopes of restoring some sports, music, and drama programs.
He's raffling off his beloved pony. $6,000 worth of tickets have been sold.
The day's top stories are two minutes away. I'm Lynn Vaughn. A whole day's news every half hour. This is Headline News.
This is Headline News, a CNN network.
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On the next Entertainment Tonight...
Look, Daddy, teacher says every time the bell rings, an angel gets his wings.
47 years after they start and it's a wonderful life, the Bailey kids reunite to share some very special moments.
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Whoa!
Tom! Tom! Tom!
I can't get a pulse.
He's still dead.
We need a crash cart.
Tom! He can't be dead.
Mrs. Cronin, what is it?
Tom just collapsed. Tom.
Code Blue Station 4 West.
Tom, can you hear me?
Code Blue Station 4 West. Code Blue Station 4 West.
I'm marrying Tony tomorrow.
Have you thought about what happens beyond tomorrow?
I know you've thought about how a marriage will affect your life.
Have you thought about how it would affect the life of the children that you'll have?
A child couldn't ask for a more loving, giving, compassionate father than John.
I know that firsthand. He raised my children for many years.
He absolutely adores his son, Ray.
And you saw the tenderness that he felt when he delivered Bill for me.
I know that. Tony's a good man, too.
I don't doubt that.
But are you sure Tony's the man you want to have as a father for your children?
I know how important loving a man is.
But it's also important to choose a man that's right for raising your children.