By George P. Hassett

Aldermen are asking Director of Traffic and Parking James Kotzuba to appear before them to respond to charges that ticketing processes and policies in the city are becoming too aggressive.

“I have had a number of people complain about parking tickets,” said Alderman-At-Large William A. White Jr. “One person said a parking control officer took out a ruler and showed her she was 13 inches away from the curb instead of one foot. That’s one inch.”

Alderman-at-Large Bruce Desmond and Ward 1 Alderman Bill Roche submitted the order last month after years of grumbling the city about Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone’s ticketing policies.

Curtatone has doubled many parking fines and plans to increase others such as parking within 20 feet of an intersection (from $30 to $50) and obstructing a posted fire lane ($50 to $100). Shortly after first taking office as mayor, he faced a flurry of criticism when he called a snow emergency, towed illegally parked cars and less than an inch of snow fell. He eventually forgave all fines from the day. He also backtracked on a proposal to double the cost of parking in Somerville after business leaders in the city spoke out strongly against it.

On The Somerville News’ Web site, bloggers began calling the mayor “Tickets Curtatone” because of the high rate of tickets being issued and big fines collected.

During a February 2006 snowstorm the city imposed $284,300 worth of fines on motorists during a 72-hour period.

And since 2005, the number of parking control officers on the street handing out tickets has increased from 22 to 30, leading some residents to believe more parking officers are handing out more fines to generate revenue for the city.

“You definitely hear that around the city,” said Ward 1 Alderman Bill Roche. “People will ask me, ‘Do [parking control officers] have a quota on how many tickets they have to hand out?’”

Roche submitted the order asking Kotzuba to appear before the Board of Aldermen. He said it is at least the fifth time an alderman has asked someone from the Traffic and Parking Department to come before them and explain policies and procedures. So far, he said, no one has appeared.

Curtatone spokesman Thomas P. Champion said the city has added more parking officers and “stepped up enforcement” because of safety concerns shared by Curtatone and public safety officials in the city. He said parking violations have decreased as fines have increased, proof that greater fines encouraged compliance.

He said complaints about ticketing and parking procedures are an everyday part of city life, especially in Somerville —- one of the most densely populated cities on the east coast.

“On parking regulations that are clearly established and well marked, it is hard to argue there is too much enforcement. I have never lived in a city where people did not complain about parking tickets all the time. It’s like the weather, we’re all affected by it and we feel strongly about it,” he said.