Many local officials in Pennsylvania have complained that the state's parking meter certification process is a useless formality, but the borough of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania just discovered why the legislature created the inspection requirement. In the process of compliance, Bellefonte found that half of the borough's meters failed to meet the required standards. Bellefonte makes about $95,000 a year from parking meters and fines but must now spend $30,000 to replace the 200 inaccurate machines.

In the borough of Pottsdown, city officials are happy that they decided to get rid of all but 135 parking meters last year. Because the borough is not dependent on meter revenue, the legal problem that other jurisdictions currently face poses no problem to Pottsdown. The borough's meters have not yet been certified.

First, they learned that the borough's mechanical, twist-dial meters did not have serial numbers on them, as is required for certification, Stewart said. Furthermore, some of the meters did not meet timing standards, he said. "So, for more than one reason, we have to replace all of the mechanical meters," [Bellefonte Borough Manager Ralph] Stewart said. The 200 mechanical meters have been removed from parking spaces throughout the borough until new ones can be purchased.