Support piling up for retiree hit with ticket
Outpouring follows $200 Hub snow fine
The Southie 76-year-old cited for failing to shovel her walk said she’s received a huge outpouring of support in her attempt to appeal the $200 fine — and one person even offered to pay the ticket if city officials fail to answer her pleas.
“Isn’t that amazing? But I wouldn’t do that,” Lorraine Walsh said of the offer to pick up the tab. “I’m amazed how many people are rooting for me. In other words, they’re telling me they’re all for speaking out.”
The Herald reported yesterday that Walsh, a lifelong South Boston resident, was one of 500 people hit with citations for failing to shovel their sidewalks over the past week. Walsh said she had no problem dealing with last Thursday’s storm but could only chip away half of the ice left by Sunday’s rapidly freezing slush.
And because her brother John operates an insurance office out of their family’s East Broadway home, they were tagged with a $200 penalty for businesses instead of a $50 residential citation.
On Twitter, South End resident Christian Galvin said he would pay the $200 ticket if Walsh lost her appeal.
“I flat out can’t imagine a 76-year-old trying to break up that ice, and then to read that she received a $200 ticket didn’t sit well with me,” Galvin later told the Herald.
Walsh said that hefty fine is part of her appeal.
“I told them I was on a fixed income and I’d appreciate it if they dismissed the ticket,” she said.
Walsh said she called City Hall yesterday and spoke to Code Enforcement Director Steve Tankle, who told her all appeals need to be submitted in writing. Walsh mailed a letter explaining her situation — along with a copy of yesterday’s Herald article.
“I was a little leery about the article being too pushy and over-the-top, but he said submit it,” Walsh said. “They request pictures and information, they said it was fine as long as it helps in my cause.”
Walsh said the appeals process would take up to two weeks.
Mayor Martin J. Walsh, who is not related to Lorraine Walsh, said Code Enforcement would review the appeal appropriately.
“I’m sure they’ll take into account all the circumstances around that,” the mayor said. “I feel bad. She can appeal the ticket. She’s an elderly person, so I want to make sure that we’re not putting a burden on an elderly person that can’t do it.”
But, the mayor added, snow shoveling fines are in place for public safety.
“The last thing we want to do is penalize people and write fines,” he said, “but if we don’t then we won’t have people shoveling sidewalks and we’ll have situations where people can’t get by on the sidewalk.”