[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6225289,"mediaKeyId","3539120-cdc76abb50ceb07c72239359af500dc7","parentId",3539120,"title","Wilmington councilmember urges state change to prevent recycled license-plate mixups","audioSeconds",261,"startMs",653000,"endMs",914000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3539120-cdc76abb50ceb07c72239359af500dc7&start=653&end=914","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3539120-cdc76abb50ceb07c72239359af500dc7/thumbnail_653000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6225289/Wilmington-City/New-Castle-County/Delaware/Wilmington-councilmember-urges-state-change-to-prevent-recycled-license-plate-mixups","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6225289-00efcbc799a6b6f2e211319541d0b184/orig.mp4?Expires=1771189271&Signature=JaCdUwTsiWDDBxikg2zac0nQ7XGzutzbDLquCeD4ksty7zeAvnH72rSPFpjsv7l2vEhIWUhRKTqMgSrPOFJxAlPEk~LCH3lqmH-o9FNx6xTBkAlpD-eo4aOOAzUG4lYYdXhXmakiruBZBEFGBx1hxjv21GiBqW0JMB1yDg4YV7pzAslrisnCJBOVmKsRH1MXbEfXRj-~fvmTkaGWhHcsRt4dC5uVaeqSsqRDPNDg0atzlF6-3MxqBtgadbASnWU8p~dprr~~ddPjsTrDvHGbJy5Cp6Dfae8yXuW-sEg1niJ-DvEMB7mnsRmPzBitMiDlZng34qyBNxmhvn~8r4S2-w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Wilmington, DE","date","2025-05-16T00:00:00Z","article","Councilman McGaughey asked the Wilmington City Public Works and Transportation Committee to request that the Delaware General Assembly amend Title 21 of the Delaware Code to change how the Department of Motor Vehicles recycles vehicle registration numbers. McGaughey described a problem in which recycled plate numbers can be reissued quickly and lead to duplicate plates in circulation, causing drivers to receive tickets intended for other vehicles.

“This is actually asking, it's requesting that the DMV that they actually extend the time to to recycle those numbers, give them a little bit more time, or wait till someone actually surrenders the plate,” Councilman McGaughey said, explaining the proposed resolution would ask the state to lengthen the period before reissuing a plate number or require surrender of the old plate first.

McGaughey described a personal example in which his household received EZPass toll notices for activity tied to the same plate number that had been issued to them, saying the notices accumulated until the DMV and EZPass could resolve the mismatch. He said the issue has recurred for others and that he has already discussed a draft with a state representative, adding he hoped a downstate sponsor could move the request forward.

The chair noted the item is a resolution and does not require a committee vote; committee members discussed the draft and asked staff to place the resolution on the upcoming city agenda. The committee indicated both the ordinance on Chapter 37 and this resolution were expected to appear on the city agenda for May 22. No committee-level vote on the resolution was recorded in the transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Wilmington Public Works and Transportation Committee Meeting | 5/15/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Councilman McGaughey asked the committee to request the Delaware General Assembly amend Title 21 of the Delaware Code to lengthen or alter DMV recycling of license-plate numbers after residents reported duplicate-plate ticketing caused by rapid recycling.","taxTitle","Wilmington City, New Castle County, Delaware","taxId",12638,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6225294,"Wilmington committee advances ordinance to clarify when vehicles may be booted or towed",294,312000,606000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3539120-cdc76abb50ceb07c72239359af500dc7&start=312&end=606","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3539120-cdc76abb50ceb07c72239359af500dc7/thumbnail_312000.jpg","/articles/6225294/Wilmington-City/New-Castle-County/Delaware/Wilmington-committee-advances-ordinance-to-clarify-when-vehicles-may-be-booted-or-towed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6225294-bb2191c1ac329c6c00c8434e9742a98c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771189271&Signature=amW9gsXH8MHh2~wyifdzUX1T5GkhTuwnCy1cmt0U-vpXIgJGoTPCMG59NRdG3cR4ZYPmOGI3N8Kw77uf1zNOsAq1XbSRTXIO3ZkNyppLmUqRXP6ThjeJH6bXzUXinvmemisD2K22VqJN7yji95tnn29OHUkd26OQ1Qq7BsPLavqcEciLlHne9xajkce9DaSi9IwPyMTfRKOB8XsERgbcsy3AnXKtA7sHx1AnOu84sJ20v4~KddwY6av0oZyMHrWp9NdbipBUQ1lnKWjMaFYah0xG60XUUdj0V-nFeRITiVIKuygZrsoCPKDLQ5DoOwVcz01PeiXKXF~CQoA7DtwZ5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council Member Oliver, chair of the Wilmington City Public Works and Transportation Committee, said the committee voted to advance an ordinance clarifying when the city may immobilize or tow vehicles. The committee moved the measure out of committee by voice vote after a motion and second.

The ordinance amends language in Chapter 37 of the Wilmington City Code to resolve conflicting provisions about warnings and the threshold for immobilization, Oliver said. “This ordinance, makes stylistics changes to section 37 dash 25. Everything else really remains the same,” he said, adding the revisions are intended to remove confusing text and give vehicle owners clearer notice.

The change came after what the transcript described as inconsistencies in the code and a court review. The chair said a judge reviewed the chapter and that a court case involving the ACLU prompted clarification. The ordinance clarifies how and when officers place warnings on vehicles and aims to reduce instances in which owners find their cars booted without prior notice.

Councilwoman Christian Willower and other members asked for clarification about how the warning functions before enforcement. Willower asked whether officers would place a notice on vehicles that owe amounts below the higher immobilization threshold; Oliver responded that the change “gives individuals a head up opposed to just coming out your house because everybody's busy.”

Councilwoman Yolanda McCoy asked to be added as a cosponsor during the committee discussion. After questions from committee members, the chair asked for a motion to move the ordinance out of committee; the motion was made and seconded, the committee chair called for a voice vote and said, “Motion carried.”

The committee indicated the ordinance will appear on the city agenda; staff was asked to confirm the date. The committee discussion and the committee-level motion advance the ordinance to the next formal council agenda for final consideration.","The Wilmington City Public Works and Transportation Committee voted to advance an ordinance clarifying Chapter 37 of the city code on vehicle immobilization and towing; the changes emphasize warning notices and resolve inconsistent language after a court review.","actionData","errors"]

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Wilmington councilmember urges state change to prevent recycled license-plate mixups

Wilmington committee advances ordinance to clarify when vehicles may be booted or towed