A parking ticket rests under a wiper blade on Massachusetts Street on Monday, March 7, 2011.

For a second time, Commissioner Matthew Herbert has asked that the City Commission consider raising fines for metered parking violations in Lawrence while simultaneously offering violators the option to donate canned goods instead of paying the fees.

Herbert introduced the idea in early December, saying the food could be taken to local food banks. Other cities — such as Lexington, Ky., Albany, N.Y., and Tallahassee, Fla. — have implemented “Food for Fines” programs in the past couple of years during the holiday season, but Herbert has said he wants Lawrence’s to be year-round.

“It could be a great thing for our community and those in hunger,” Herbert said in December. “Hunger is not a seasonal thing.”

He said at Tuesday’s City Commission meeting that he’s recently discussed the idea with city staff. Because there would be revenue lost, Herbert suggested the new policy be considered along with an increase in fees.

Enforcing the metered parking violations costs the city more than the fines generate, Herbert said.

Currently, those cited for expired time violations are fined $3. The fee increases to $15 after 10 days of nonpayment.

According to the municipal court’s latest annual report, fees for metered parking violations brought in nearly $500,000 in revenue in 2014, with 94,390 tickets issued.

Herbert suggested increasing the fees from $1 to $2 per ticket, which, he said, would still be relatively low compared with fees issued by Kansas University and neighboring communities.

Mayor Mike Amyx said Tuesday that he would work to get the item on an upcoming agenda.

“We’ve been talking about it, it’s got definite advantages to our community, I believe, and I’d like to see it brought before the commission,” Herbert said.