New Pueblo ordinance cracking down on abandonded shopping carts, stores could face fines

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) - Pueblo City Council recently passed an ordinance that aims to hold businesses accountable for abandoned shopping carts found throughout the city.

The ordinance passed in a close 4-3 vote.  Brett Boston, Joe Latino, Dennis Flores, and Sarah Martinez voted yes. Regina Maestri, Mark Aliff, and Roger Gomez voted no.

The ordinance details what will happen when the city picks up an abandoned shopping cart. First, the Business will be notified when the city picks up one of their carts, which comes with a fine. The city will fine violators $100 for each day the cart is impounded. Then, If the cart remains impounded for more than 30 days, the city can dispose of it--but the store will have to pay the fine.

Councilwoman Regina Maestri told KRDO 13 Investigates why she voted against the ordinance. "I don't feel that it's fair to the businesses to have to, you know, suffer the consequences." Maestri added, "This is about breaking the law in the theft of the shopping cart. Now everybody's burdened except for the criminal."

However, Councilman Joe Latino said he doesn't see it as a punishment for stores that utilize shopping carts. "We're trying to help them out and save them money, you know, because they got to replace the carts."

Latino said this ordinance is one step towards cleaning up Pueblo. "We're trying to help everybody in this situation from, the merchant to the homeless, from the homeless to the merchant, to, get our city back to where it was when I was growing up."

KRDO 13 Investigates spoke to one Safeway shopper who expressed skepticism about the ordinance getting put into practice. "Well, you don't have stores willing to man the front of the stores with security to help deter the shoplifters. I don't know how they're going to monitor parking lots with just one employee doing cart runs," Eric Solem said.

The ordinance goes into effect on October 9.