Tucson Reviews Proposal To Fine Store Owners For Abandoned Shopping Carts

August 12, 2013

The Tucson City Council is fed up with abandoned shopping carts, and it is reviewing a proposal to fine retailers who are repeat offenders.  Store owners would see the fines added to their city water bills each month.

A lot of people in Tucson leave shopping carts at bus stops and apartment buildings, but Tucson is ready to pass an ordinance that would give retailers three days to pick up their shopping carts from a city impound lot or pay a $30 fine for each cart that they do not retrieve in time. 

Theresa Williams is the city of Tucson’s code enforcement administrator.

"We’re hoping that store owners will start to take more control of their carts. Maybe they’ll put up barriers up around their parking lots so they can’t get out or they’ll put up notices to keep the carts on their property,” said Williams.

She said the ordinance also would provide $40,000 for the city to hire a new cart wrangler who will pick them up for owners for a fee. Tucson City Council will take a final vote on the proposal in September.