The city of Kinston has approved an increase in parking violation fines from $2 to $25, following a proposal from Police Chief Keith Goyette. The decision was made after considering similar fines in nearby cities, such as Goldsboro and New Bern, where fines for parking violations range from $25 to $50. The increase aims to provide a greater deterrent for illegal parking and address the issue of congestion in the downtown area and residential neighborhoods. 

Chief Goyette stated, "Our goal is not to police for profit. That's not what we do. But with that being said, you know when you issue over 300 parking violation tickets for a year, when the large amount of $600.00, kind of look at it and say, is it really worth, is the juice worth the squeeze." He added that it was time to revamp the city codes and that the fine increase was a good start. 

Council member Felicia Solomon expressed support for the increase, saying, "It's only good if it’s being enforced. No one's feeling anything at $2.00. I appreciate the increase."

The new fines will go into effect at the start of the next budget year, with the city focusing on educating the public about the changes. The police department plans to use social media and the newspaper to inform residents, ensuring everyone is aware of the increase.