Leave that shopping cart there! And stay out of the garbage!
Fines would increase under proposal

May 31 -- Fines for repeat violations of shopping cart ordinances -- such as illicit possession of a shopping cart -- would skyrocket, under a proposal by two aldermen.

Fines for repeat garbage picking offenses also would increase, though much less dramatically, under the proposal by Ald. Joe Davis and Ald. Robert Donovan.

Repeat shopping cart offenders -- those who remove a cart from a store's premises or abandon a cart off-site -- would face fines of $25 to $500 for the first offense, but $500 to $5,000 for each subsequent offense. Failing to pay the fine could result in a sentence of up to 90 days in the House of Correction, according to the proposal ordinance.

The Legislature this year raised from $50 to $500 the state forfeiture for repeat shopping cart removal offenses.

A mistreated cart

The aldermen also have proposed increasing fines for repeat garbage picking. Fines would range from $25 to $500 for the first offense to $50 to $500 for subsequent offenses.

Garbage picking, as defined by city ordinance, is "the removal of any material from a waste container that has been furnished by the city for collection of solid waste."

The proposal is scheduled to be discussed Thursday by the Common Council's Public Safety Committee.

First dibs on your garbage