Long Island man ticketed for truck he no longer owns. DMV says it's part of a larger issue in NYC
The Long Island man says the process of fighting a ticket turned into a nightmare, and CBS News New York's Tim McNicholas found the chances of winning are already slim.
Hector Colon told McNicholas he lives in Ronkonkoma and doesn't often venture into New York City. He's a maintenance supervisor for a gated community on Long Island, about 40 miles from the city limits.
So imagine his surprise when he got a New York City parking ticket in the mail last spring -- and then, another and another. He ended up with a total of eight tickets and notices from the city saying he owes nearly $1,000.
"I can't afford $1,000 that I could be using for my bills for something that I didn't even do," he said, adding he needs the money for his diabetes medicine.
The tickets list the same make, model and VIN as a truck that Colon says he sold. The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles confirmed to CBS News New York he transferred the title months before the violations.
He says he tried to fight the tickets with records showing he had canceled his insurance and surrendered his license plate, but an administrative judge for the city's finance department still found him guilty.
"They, basically, said that it was insufficient evidence," Colon explained.
The state DMV says the city's finance department has access to real-time DMV registration data, but the DMV says it has repeatedly brought ticket complaints to the city's attention that show the finance department is not always using that information.
"We would defer to them as to why they are not using up-to-date records to issue citations to New Yorkers," a DMV spokesperson said.
The city says it regularly uses DMV data but what it called "timing issues" can impact the quality of information, and it encourages motorists to promptly report any transfers to the state - which Colon says he did, but was still found guilty.
"My wife paid about, I would say, about $600 worth of it," he said. "She was like, 'You know what, let me just pay some of them, so they don't garnish his check.' She was just scared it was going to be more of a hindrance for me."
Data obtained by CBS News New York shows the finance department issued more than 16 million tickets last fiscal year for illegal parking and traffic camera violations.
Most people don't fight the tickets, but of those who did, 457,000 got dismissed because of a not guilty decision. That's 3% of all tickets, and 30% of all tickets that had hearings.
Larry Berezin is a retired attorney who helped New Yorkers fight tickets by attending City Council meetings and running an advice blog.
"What is the mission of the Department of Finance? The mission is to raise money," Berezin said.
He says the city should rethink its dispute process.
"To have the Parking Violation Bureau under the Department of Finance creates a conflict," he said. "If you were charged with a crime, and you're looking up at the judge and the judge is a police officer, how would you feel?"
The finance department insists the process is fair and says hearing officers and judges paid by the department are per diem employees, not staff.
The city would not agree to an interview for this story, but it has been using videos and social media posts to spread the word about its Parking Summons Advocate, Anthony Tse.
The city says Tse's office can "independently assist" with "...violation issues that cannot be resolved through normal Department of Finance channels."
When McNicholas reached out to the department on Colon's behalf, they connected him with Tse.
"He says he's going to submit all the tickets, even the ones that I paid, and they should, once it's dismissed, I should receive a refund," said Colon, adding, "I can't thank you enough, because I was actually, you know, losing it."
It's still not exactly clear to Colon why his initial dispute didn't work, and the city won't comment on his case. He initially argued he likely got the tickets because one of his plates had been stolen when he still had the truck.
Colon says the parking summons advocate said it may have actually been because he didn't remove his registration sticker. But, again, the DMV says he'd already transferred the title before the alleged violation dates.
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Fox News
a day ago
- Fox News
'Not welcome here': Staten Island activist arrested after confronting NYC mayoral candidate
Activist Scott Lo Baido was arrested outside New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's anti-Trump event on Staten Island on Wednesday. A viral social media video revealed that Lo Baido told Mamdani, "This is my f---ing island, you are not welcome here," as he was physically held back while approaching the candidate after the event at Istanbul Bay Authentic Mediterranean Restaurant on Staten Island. Lo Baido shouted profanities at Mamdani, telling the candidate that he hates Jews, cops and America. The protester, who shouted into a megaphone during the opening remarks of Mamdani's event, was later arrested by the New York Police Department (NYPD). In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital on Friday morning, Lo Baido confirmed his arrest and said, "I suggest that somebody in every single borough every time this man shows his face to do what I did the other day." Lo Baido told his followers on X that he received three summonses upon arrest for sound without permit, disorderly conduct and foul language. "Go back to where you came from. We don't want you on Staten Island," a protester wearing a "Trump girl" T-shirt and holding an American flag shouted at the 33-year-old self-described socialist as he exited the backdoor of the restaurant. Inside the event, as Mamdani kicked off his third anti-Trump event of the week, protesters outside the restaurant drowned out the introductory speeches with their cowbells, sirens and megaphones. Despite the heat in the crowded restaurant and his detractors outside, Mamdani maintained a smile throughout the event and told reporters, "It saddens me to hear language of being told to go back to where I came from, and yet, it is not surprising because it is so much of what characterizes President Trump's politics." Mamdani was hosting his third "Five Boroughs Against Trump" event of the week on Wednesday, reaffirming his commitment to protecting New Yorkers from Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration if he's elected mayor of New York City this November. "I will not let it dissuade me from continuing to come to Staten Island, from continuing to speak to New Yorkers, no matter where they live, no matter what politics they have," Mamdani said in response to the protesters. "Because I know that just as there are Republicans who feel that way, there are others who are sincere in their questions." Several protesters outside the restaurant told Fox News Digital that they planned to vote for Curtis Sliwa, CEO of the Guardian Angels, this November. "He's the only one that could save our city," Ed, a Staten Islander carrying a large American flag, said. Ed told Fox News Digital that he wanted to give Mamdani "a little surprise party" and let the socialist candidate know that his values do not represent those of Staten Island. "This is Trump country," said Manny, another protester and Wall Street retiree who said Mamdani's policies are "anti-Wall Street." Trump won Staten Island by 30 points in the 2024 presidential election, according to The New York Times' data. Meanwhile, in neighboring Brooklyn, former Vice President Kamala Harris carried the borough by 44 points. Tommy Banks, a native Staten Islander, said his message to Mamdani on Wednesday was simple. "Get out of town." "He wants to make everything free. He can't afford that. He's a socialist. He don't live that. We're not socialist," Banks said. Banks agreed with the other protesters outside the restaurant, telling Fox News Digital that "nobody else" could be mayor but Sliwa. "He's a true New Yorker. He's been fighting for New York all his life. Give him a chance to get in there," Banks said. Another protester, Liz, shouted, "Mamdani's a commie!" as the Democratic nominee departed in his SUV. Liz said she doesn't like Mamdani because "he's not a Democrat, he's a communist." She said Mamdani is trying to tempt New Yorkers with campaign promises like free childcare, free bus fare and government-run grocery stores, but Liz said it would be a "disaster" if he became mayor. When Mamdani declared victory in the Democratic primary, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent, called Mamdani a "snake-oil salesman" who would "say and do anything to get elected." Trump has often criticized Mamdani and his policies, calling him a "100% communist lunatic." Staten Islanders who spoke to Fox News Digital outside Mamdani's anti-Trump event on Wednesday seemed to agree with those sentiments, calling him a "commie" and criticizing his policies, which include freezing the rent, raising corporate taxes and increasing the minimum wage. However, Shahana Masum, who sported a "Zohran for Staten Island" sticker on her purse and attended the event, told Fox News Digital that Mamdani is the person who is representing "me and my community." Masum said she has also been told to go back to her country. To that, she said, "You didn't go back to your country, and I came here with dignity and with my visa, so don't tell me to leave."
Newsweek
a day ago
- Newsweek
Want To Stop Mamdani? It's Time To Get Serious
As of right now, Zohran Mamdani is the overwhelming favorite to be elected mayor of New York. Beyond his appeal to many New Yorkers on a variety of issues—most notably his extremely left-leaning policies intended to deal with the issue of affordability—in a race where three other candidates are poised to split the anti-Mamdani vote, his victory is all but assured. Many major interest groups in New York believe a Mamdani victory would be disastrous. It is almost impossible to find a business leader who thinks Mamdani would not be highly destructive to the interests of the city. Similarly, many Jewish leaders think that a city with the biggest Jewish population outside of Tel Aviv shouldn't have a mayor who still cannot disassociate himself completely from slogans supporting a "global intifada," especially during a time of rising antisemitic incidents. Moreover, hardly anyone who has expertise in law enforcement and crime reduction believes Mamdani is the best candidate to protect public safety—and for a large proportion of New Yorkers, that issue is right up there with affordability as a top concern. Unfortunately, incumbent mayor Eric Adams and former governor Andrew Cuomo, Mamdani's two major opponents, are both very flawed candidates. Many New Yorkers believe that Eric Adams' federal indictment, which was subsequently dropped by the Trump Justice Department, is indicative of a corrupt administration. Indeed, given the circumstances under which it was dropped, many now view Adams as being in the pocket of President Donald Trump. Of course, New Yorkers being overwhelmingly Democratic, many believe Trump's policies are antithetical to the city's well-being, and the president himself is extremely unpopular in his native city. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 11: New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference at the 1199SEIU headquarters on August 11, 2025 in New York City. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 11: New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference at the 1199SEIU headquarters on August 11, 2025 in New York City. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images Andrew Cuomo, having been forced to resign as governor amid a sexual harassment scandal, not to mention what many consider to be his very abrasive style, ran a horrendous primary campaign. I wrote a column recently suggesting Cuomo did not learn any lessons whatsoever from the failed Kamala Harris presidential campaign, making him absolutely guilty of political malpractice. While the Republican in the race, Curtis Sliwa, has virtually no chance of winning the election, based on previous mayoral elections it is clear a Republican candidate will syphon away 200,000-300,000 votes, which could make all the difference for anybody with a chance of challenging Mamdani. Under these circumstances, one might ask, how can Mamdani possibly lose? The answer is, under these circumstances he can't. So, if one believes that Mamdani's election would be an enormous setback for the city of New York, and many right-thinking people strongly believe that, why aren't these circumstances being changed? Underpinning the intensity of feeling that Mamdani would be a disastrous choice for the city is the impact of his election on national politics. There is no doubt that Trump and the Republican Party would point to Mamdani's election to make the case that an avowed socialist, far to the left of most Americans' political outlook, is what the Democratic Party fundamentally represents. Democrats would have a very difficult time distancing themselves from Mamdani as representative of what their party stands for. The recent fawning endorsement by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) certainly makes it appear that the most progressive members of the Democratic Party believe they should stand behind Mamdani. It is also likely that Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) will in some form endorse Mamdani. In that case, it will be impossible for Democrats to meaningfully distance themselves from Mamdani's most radical positions and policies. That perception will be extremely politically detrimental to the Democratic Party nationally. So, bad for the nation's largest city, bad for the Democratic Party, and bad for the nation overall given the importance of the Democrats mustering the ability to take back the House next year to counter Trump. If New York's mayoral race does not fundamentally change by Labor Day—meaning the anti-Mamdani candidates consolidating behind a single horse—Mamdani will undoubtedly be the next mayor of New York. So how do these circumstances on the ground change? Answer: with great difficulty. Mayor Adams, as the incumbent, contends that it is hubris for Cuomo to suggest he drop out of the race. Cuomo argues, with substantial polling data to back him up, that he is the only candidate who can beat Mamdani in a one-on-one contest. The fact is that polling clearly suggests both Cuomo and Adams are weak candidates—over 60 percent of voters indicate they would never vote for either. However, the polls do suggest in a one-on-one race there is some chance Cuomo could beat Mamdani, and clearly also suggest Adams could not. Among "likely" voters, both Adams and Cuomo lose to Mamdani. However, when it comes to registered voters, which is a much larger group, polls have shown Cuomo to be within the margin of error. However, Cuomo would have to expand voter turnout well beyond typical mayoral elections to really have a shot. Cuomo would also have to demonstrate to the public how detrimental a Mamdani win would be to New York City and the Democratic Party, and deliver a higher level of intensity and passion in his messaging. Moreover, he would need city leaders of all sectors and ethnicities to join the battle cry to get a record voter turnout. So here is a modest proposal. It may sound radical, but a drastic situation calls for drastic measures. Mayor Adams should aim for a future that leverages his expertise and sets him up for a much better outcome than a career-ending loss in this race. He should announce that instead of pursuing public office again, he will set up a consulting firm to provide counseling to cities around the country on how to better provide for public safety. Crime rates in New York City have dropped dramatically in recent years so Adams has insights based on a credible track record to offer. Cuomo has a substantial monied interest behind him, including many donors who care about keeping New York safe. As a show of unity, they should commit resources—even as much as $10 million—to help Adams bring his experience to cities across the nation. I think Sliwa is an easier case to handle. Sliwa siphoning off votes in this race will only lead to the election of a mayor who will undermine all the public safety concerns he has fought for his entire life. That should not be his personal legacy. Cuomo should offer him a position as deputy mayor in his administration—a much better result and a goal to rally Republicans behind. Getting Adams and Sliwa out of the race will not be enough. Cuomo, in deep contrast to his primary performance, will have to campaign his heart out, drive a completely different social media presence, demonstrate incredible sensitivity on the affordability issue especially as it relates to housing, showcase the difference between his law enforcement views and Mamdani's, and continue to rally the Jewish community in opposition to Mamdani's anti-Israel, if not antisemitic, views. I recognize clearing the path for Cuomo to take on Mamdani on a one-on-one race is a tall order. However, the future of New York City and the Democratic Party's midterm election prospects rest on it. Let's get serious. Time is running out. To those Cuomo backers with the money to execute this plan: you need to get going. Tom Rogers is executive chairman of Claigrid, Inc. (the cloud AI grid company), an editor-at-large for Newsweek, the founder of CNBC and a CNBC contributor. He also established MSNBC, is the former CEO of TiVo, a member of Keep Our Republic (an organization dedicated to preserving the nation's democracy). He is also a member of the American Bar Association Task Force on Democracy. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Elderly resident's murder at NYC's ritzy Barbizon Hotel remains unsolved 50 years later
An elderly resident at an upscale Manhattan hotel for women that once housed notable tenants including Grace Kelly and Liza Minelli was strangled to death in her luxury suite — and her chilling demise remains unsolved 50 years later. When Ruth Harding's body was found on Aug. 15, 1975, the iconic Barbizon Hotel at 63rd Street and Lexington Avenue — a gilded refuge for ambitious unmarried women chasing big-city dreams, celebrated authors and Hollywood's elite that opened in 1927 — had lost its charm and glitz. 'I wouldn't say it was a lavish hotel by then, that's for sure,' historian Paulina Bren, who authored 'The Barbizon: The Hotel That Set Women Free' in 2021, told The Post. 8 The Barbizon Hotel, including its lobby, a typical bedroom, swimming pool and main dining room, in its heyday as a womens' residence. 'Really, the heyday of the Barbizon was the '40s and '50s. In the '60s, it already started to somewhat deteriorate, and by the '70s, much like New York itself, it was very much sort of rundown of its grandeur.' The 23-story hotel — boasting 700 guest rooms — had fallen into disrepair, with a gaping hole in the lobby ceiling, grim rumors of women plunging from the roof and Harding, a reclusive and lonely resident, becoming its only recorded murder victim. However, her vicious slaying has remained cold — and largely forgotten by city authorities and prosecutors — since she was found on the bathroom floor of her posh 11th-floor room with abrasions on her throat. While the NYPD did not answer multiple requests for comment — only asking why The Post was writing about Harding's case — police in 1975 said they had 'no clues' after her murder. 'There were abrasions on her throat, but we have nothing else, no next of kin, no clues,' Detective Sgt. James Stewart told the New York Times after her body was discovered. The extent of the investigation remains unclear, including whether there was ever a suspect — or if the case had been revisited over the years with advancements in DNA forensics. Law enforcement sources — including former officers and members of the city's Cold Case Squad at the time of Harding's murder — told The Post they had no memory of her case and didn't know of anyone who worked on it. 'It is never too late to pursue justice for New Yorkers, and our Cold Case Unit welcomes information from the public about this tragic matter, and any other unsolved homicide,' the Manhattan District Attorney's Office said Thursday 'A place for young women' The historic salmon-hued hotel served as an exclusive boarding house and majestic sanctuary for single women striving to make their mark in the Big Apple and launch careers during an era when they were expected to marry young and start families. 'It was a place for young women, usually outside of New York from sort of small-time USA, coming to New York … to play out their ambition and try to see if they could actually take flight,' Bren said, noting how women had a short window before reaching their 'sell-by' date for marriage. 8 The historic salmon-hued hotel was an exclusive boarding house and haven for single women. Getty Images 'The Barbizon represented that window, and I think the anxiety of these women, in the '50s especially, of everything they'd been taught, and they wanted to do, and how restricted their lives were, and how they tried to find a space at the Barbizon to accomplish what society was telling them they couldn't do.' Aspiring artists flocked to the women-only residence — not just for its safety, since men were barred from entering the residence beyond the lobby until it went co-ed in 1981 — but because it was known for sheltering future stars before they made it big. Among the legendary figures who lived there were Joan Crawford, Cloris Leachman, Joan Didion, Kelly and Minelli — whose mother, Judy Garland, was known for driving the front desk staff crazy by constantly checking in on the young actress, Bren wrote. 8 Legendary figures, like Grace Kelly, lived at the Barbizon before they made it big. Sunset Boulevard Resident Sylvia Plath famously threw all her clothes off the Barbizon's roof on her last day as a magazine intern — an act she later immortalized, along with the hotel, in 'The Bell Jar.' The iconic address, however, also became a hideaway for starving artists, lonely wallflowers and spinsters who checked into the Barbizon in the 1930s and 1940s — and never left. Those, including 79-year-old Harding, were known as 'The Women,' a divisive label coined by the hotel's much younger guests, who pitied and feared that the senior occupants represented a grim future if they failed to achieve their dreams. 8 Sylvia Plath immortalized her time at the Barbizon in her novel 'The Bell Jar.' Bettmann Archive 'There was definitely this rift,' Bren said. 'And Ruth Harding was one of 'The Women.'' She lived on the 11th floor in a 'luxury room' with a private bathroom — a rare perk found in only about a quarter of the rooms — that reportedly cost about $77 per week. Most of the temporary occupants shared communal bathrooms on other floors. 8 Ruth Harding was living on the 11th floor in a luxury suite when she was found dead in her private bathroom. HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images The elusive and seemingly lonely senior would leave her lavish room each night in her nightgown and coat to wander down to the lobby, where she'd linger and talk to anyone who'd listen. 'Apparently, she had no friends there,' Bren said. 'She would go down to the lobby, as many of these women did every evening, and just kind of chat up the sort of dates of the younger women who had to wait in the lobby for them, because they weren't allowed to go upstairs.' While Harding chatted with the eager escorts, she and the other alienated senior residents would unleash 'snide comments to the young women about how they were dressed,' the historian said. 8 Black and white photo of Jane Kendall at the Barbizon Hotel lobby in 1948. The enigmatic elder moved into the Barbizon nearly two years before her death, Heidi Schichida, the hotel's assistant manager, told The New York Times in 1975 — though Bren believes she settled there in the 1940s. 8 A New York Times newspaper clipping of Harding's Aug. 15, 1975, unsolved murder. Ny Times Many described Harding as an intelligent yet talkative woman who craved conversation but remained friendless and never received visitors. 'She was not employed, but she told people she had been an actress, a journalist, a ballerina and everything else,' a hotel employee told the outlet. 'She dropped so many names, made so many claims you didn't know what to believe.' 8 The once-famed Barbizon Hotel was gutted in 2006 and turned into condominiums. NY Post Jim Alcorn Bren received countless letters after publishing her book, but not from anyone familiar with Harding's puzzling death — and only uncovered two Times articles briefly referencing the case in her research. 'It's really bizarre,' she said, adding that Harding's room was left 'undisturbed' after her strangling. 'All of these original sources from the hotel itself, the letters, the registry books, it's all gone. You just can't find that information.' The once-famed hotel was eventually gutted and transformed into luxury condominiums in 2006 — after nearly 80 years of operation — effectively erasing any trace of Harding's memory and unexplained murder along with it.
