COLUMBUS - A state legislator is coming to the defense of Sylvia Stayton, Cincinnati's meter-stuffing granny.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Edward Kasputis, a Cleveland-area Republican, said Monday he will sponsor legislation to prohibit cities from arresting people for popping coins into expired parking meters.
Mr. Kasputis said he was motivated to take action by the story of Mrs. Stayton, a grandmother of 10 from Clifton who was arrested last month after feeding a meter as a police officer prepared to write a parking ticket.
''That made my blood boil,'' said Mr. Kasputis. ''I just adopted a baby from China. This sounds like something the authorities would do over there."
Although he is not sure how his bill will be worded, such legislation almost assuredly would face constitutional hurdles for home-rule cities such as Cincinnati.
Local businesses also are sure to complain. Merchants along the Short Vine strip in Corryville where Mrs. Stayton was arrested Oct. 24 have repeatedly asked police to step up enforcement so customers can find parking spots.
''My sense is the municipal ordinance would override a state statute, but there are creative ways for lawyers to get around that,'' said Rep. William Batchelder, a Medina Republican and one of the General Assembly's constitutional experts.
Mrs. Stayton became a national cause celebre after she was charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing official business for feeding two parking meters.
Judge John Andrew West of Hamilton County Municipal Court will decide Dec. 6 whether to suppress testimony about the arrest. The defense says Officer Edward Johnson was not within his rights to approach the 62-year-old woman.
A city ordinance forbids feeding a meter after a car has been parked the maximum allowable time. City Manager John Shirey wants to keep the law, which he says is a deterrent to longtime parking.
''All she did was exercise her free speech by feeding a meter,'' said Mr. Kasputis. ''If Granny wants to spend $10,000 a year feeding meters, let that be her Christmas present to the people."
In Cincinnati, meanwhile, the city council's Public Works Committee agreed to temporarily shelve Councilman Todd Portune's proposal to change the city law.
Mr. Portune, the committee chairman, suggested the delay so officials can review results from a new pricing structure for some downtown parking meters. The test, which started earlier this month, is scheduled to be done in April.
Enquirer reporter Laura Goldberg contributed to this story.
Published Nov. 26, 1996.
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