Denver Councilman Paul Lopez backed away Tuesday from his push to have the City Council repeal an initiative that impounds cars driven by unlicensed drivers. He now wants to see the issue on the ballot in the fall or next spring.
Lopez said he is confident the council will put the measure on the ballot and “voters will rescind this horrible initiative once and for all.”
Lopez announced his new stance after Mayor John Hickenlooper made clear he wanted voters to weigh in as opposed to the council repealing the measure. Lopez had planned next Monday to seek a council repeal, which would have required the support of nine of 12 members.
In 2008, voters approved Initiative 100, which proponents had hoped would require police to impound cars driven by unlicensed drivers in all but a few select cases. The city attorney’s office review of the law allowed police discretion on when to impound.
Lopez and Councilman Doug Linkhart say a $2,500 bonding requirement and new fees have caused more people to abandon their cars at the lot.
The city is losing about $300,000 annually on the impound program, city budget staffers say. Christopher N. Osher, The Denver Post
