Park in Chicago and the city might steal your car

When I first moved to Chicago I didn't really understand the ongoing feeling among its populace that the local government was corrupt. About a dozen or so scandals later I'm not surprised when I read an investigative report that says the city will sell your car for scrap money if you haven't paid off all fines, impound fees, towing fees etc. in 15 days. Just one example shown in the story was that of a local missionary on a trip for ten days and by the time she got back she couldn't raise the $1000 to save her Kia Sephia that was towed while she was away. It was sold to a towing company (hmmm) for $125 as scrap and resold by said company for $900, $3,600 under blue book. The city didn't even make much money off the deal. Cost of towing is $97. So the lump sum for Chicago was $28, while the owner is stuck paying off the note on the car and still has to pay the city $1,000 in fines. Oh and where was her car? On the street in front of her home. She got ticketed for not moving the car for street cleaning. And if you live in the city you know that they can announce street cleaning only a day or so beforehand.