California state officials were tasked with investigating abuse of the Disabled Person Parking Placard program, guess what? It's all corrupted, counterfeited, and abused... just like every other govt program that gives away free privileges with no oversight, accountability, or audits

they found nearly 26,000 placard holders were over 100 years old, even though the estimated centenarian population of California is only about 8,000.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles hasn't canceled tens of thousands of the permits issued to people who have died

Auditors looked at a sample of 96 approved placard applications and found 70 that “did not include sufficient medical information to demonstrate that the applicant qualified.” If that trend holds, it means the DMV may have approved 1.1 million applications from July 2013 through June 2016 without sufficient information to demonstrate that the applicant was qualified, the audit concluded.

In addition, some permanent placard holders have requested “an unusually high number of replacements for lost or stolen placards” and state law does not limit the number of replacements a holder may receive, she said. That means some placard holders might be giving extra placards to friends or family.

The review was requested by former Democratic Assemblyman Mike Gatto. “The audit showed a program that is even more rife with abuse than anyone could have conceived,” Gatto said Tuesday.

http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-dmv-is-failing-to-cancel-disabled-1492532191-htmlstory.html


Drivers who have a disabled parking placard displayed in their windshields don’t have to feed the meter and can park in certain specially designated parking spots. It’s a privilege reserved only for people with a disability.

But fraudulent use is everywhere. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation estimates it loses $6 million a year because of disabled placard abuse.

When asked how it’s possible for someone who died years ago to receive a renewal in the mail, DMV Deputy Chief of Investigations Vito Scattaglia says it’s all a matter of routine.

“Every placard that is issued is not automatically checked to see if that person is still alive and well,” Scattaglia said.

So, exactly how many placards are out there for people who may have passed away?

“I don’t know the number,” he said.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2016/05/24/california-lawmakers-cracking-down-on-disabled-parking-placard-abuse/
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/tag/parking/

At least one out of every eight California drivers has a disabled placard.

Downloadable applications are on the DMV website. Fill it out and get a doctor to sign off that you medically need better parking access, and a disabled placard is as good as yours.

The state does not investigate doctors who may be approving placards for people who don't really need them.

31 of 39 vehicles parked on two blocks around the State Treasure's building and the State Appellate Courthouse had disabled parking placards or disabled license plates, and 15 out of 21 cars parked on both sides of H Street, next to the Sacramento County Courthouse, had disabled placards.

Why? Parking for jury duty, or for work in the govt buildings, for free all day, when there isn't any free parking for miles around.

http://www.abc10.com/news/local/one-out-of-every-8-california-drivers-now-has-a-disabled-parking-placard/110357389?