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ProPublica
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1/ ICYMI: We won the Pulitzer Prize for local reporting! For our “On the Hook” series with @ctmirror.org, we reported on how Connecticut laws had come to favor towing companies at the expense of low-income residents. Here's a bit more about the series 👇

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2/ Towing companies could seek to sell some people’s cars after just 15 days, one of the shortest windows in the country, ProPublica and @ctmirror.org found. It meant many people who couldn’t afford to quickly pay the towing fees lost their cars.

propublica.orgGone in 15 Days: How the Connecticut DMV Allows Tow Companies to Sell People’s CarsA law intended to deal with abandoned vehicles is making it hard for low-income people to get their cars back after they’re towed. The consequences can extend far beyond the cost of the car.
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3/ Through a public records battle, complex data analysis of 6,000+ forms submitted by towing companies, and innovative engagement reporting, the reporters discovered that companies were drastically undervaluing cars, allowing them to sell cars fast.

propublica.orgConnecticut Towing Companies Frequently Value Cars Low, Allowing Them to Sell Vehicles QuicklyA database created by The Connecticut Mirror and ProPublica of more than 6,000 forms submitted by the state’s towing companies shows a pattern of low values, including for some luxury cars.

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4/ Reporters found that the towers sometimes held on to people’s belongings, including work equipment and sentimental mementos, as leverage to get them to pay exorbitant fees. “It was hurtful, because there’s nothing you can really do,” one person said.

propublica.orgConnecticut Towing Companies Use Belongings Left in Cars as Leverage to Collect Fees, Drivers SayThe Connecticut DMV allows owners to get back into towed cars to retrieve items that are essential to their health and welfare. But people have lost work equipment, car seats, important documents and ...
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5/ Towing companies were also not abiding by a Connecticut law that requires them to hold on to the profits of sold cars and turn them over to the state so owners can claim the money. It turns out that the DMV never set up a system to collect it.

propublica.orgConnecticut DMV Never Set Up System to Enforce a Century-Old Towing LawTowing companies can sell vehicles if owners don’t reclaim them or can’t afford the fees. To protect drivers, they’re supposed to turn over unclaimed profits, but the state says that’s never happened.
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6/ The impact of the reporting was swift. Within 24 hours of the first story, Connecticut DMV leadership announced it was reviewing towing practices, and lawmakers proposed an overhaul bill. It passed in May 2025 with nearly unanimous bipartisan support.

propublica.orgConnecticut Legislature Passes Bill Overhauling Century-Old Towing LawsThe reforms, which were proposed in response to an investigation by CT Mirror and ProPublica, make it harder to tow vehicles from private property and easier for drivers to retrieve them after a tow.
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7/ ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network brings together local journalists and our investigative resources. “Our partnership with CT Mirror shows how collaboration can produce strong results and change people’s lives for the better,” said @charlesornstein.bsky.social.

ChristofPierson
@christofpierson.bsky.social

The state just wanted to solve the problem of space for the vehicles, I presume. Always thinking about the money makers, never the working poor. This is neoliberalism putting your tax dollars to work for the already haves, Connecticut.