Clerk Mendoza unveils the 2012-2013 Chicago City sticker at a press conrference earlier in the year

Beginning in May, the city clerk’s office will begin the transition towards selling Chicago vehicle stickers on a year around basis — and city students will no longer be designing them.

The Clerk’s office is actively working toward changing the annual tradition of selling 1.3 million city stickers over the course of several weeks in late spring and early summer, into a process that parallels the way Illinois drivers renew their vehicle license plates, where vehicle stickers would expire on the same month every year.

First raised under Miguel del Valle, the idea of year round sales was a major goal of current City Clerk Susana Mendoza when she first entered office in April of 2011. Mendoza announced the impending switch at this year’s budget hearings in October.

But this change also spells the demise of another Chicago tradition — the city sticker design contest.

“Because we are transitioning to year-round sticker sales and the design of the sticker will change, we will not be holding a city sticker art contest this year,” City Clerk spokesperson Kristine Williams said. “There’s limited space on the sticker so it will be fundamentally changed.”

Read more at DNAInfo Chicago.

Depending on when you read this, there are just hours before Chicago car owners must have their 2012-2013 city vehicle sticker purchased and displayed on their windshield.

That final deadline is Sunday, July 15th. Drivers have until 11:59 Sunday night to take care of this.

Friday, City Clerk office locations and other City Revenue offices had long lines of procrastinators waiting close to an hour to get their city stickers.

At City Hall, City Clerk Susana Mendoza spent some time helping expedite constituents and calm a few irate individuals.

While most people in line seemed resigned to their plight, a few procrastinators were angry for the long wait despite the fact they decided to wait until the very last day of municipal sales.

But even these last minute lines seemed down in number compared to last year.

“It’s not as bad as in previous years,” agreed City Clerk spokesperson Kristine Williams. “The lines are not as long.”

Williams, reiterated that vehicle owners who do not purchase and display their city sticker before the end of day Sunday risk a $200 fine per day and a $60 late fee to purchase the new city sticker.

At this late date it is still possible to purchase your city sticker via the over 400 neighborhood Currency Exchanges. Many Currency Exchanges are open 24 hours a day.

But, Currency Exchanges are expecting a busy day on Sunday.

“Definitely!,” said a cashier who only gave her name as Andrea, at the Kedzie-Elston Currency Exchange at 3510 N. Kedzie Ave. when asked if they were expecting long lines on Sunday. “Tomorrow we will have very long lines. Expect about a 10 minute wait.”

Down the street at the at the Kedzie-Irving Currency Exchange at 3158 W. Irving Park Rd. is also expecting long lines on Sunday.

“Tomorrow is the last day,” said a cashier who didn’t want to give her name Saturday night. “If you come, come early. If it’s near midnight and you’re stuck in line, you’ll have to pay the $60 late fee after midnight.”

With city sticker season rapidly coming to an end, we offer readers this video on how best to remove your city sticker with an expert in the field–City Clerk Susana Mendoza.

This video is a more polished version of the DYI version we put together last season.

Get pen and paper and take note!

There are exactly seven days left until Chicago vehicle owners need to purchase and display their Chicago city vehicle sticker on their windshield or face heavy fines and/or late fees.

The 2011-12 city sticker expired on June 30th, but the Chicago City Clerk’s office always gives drivers a 15 day grace period to comply. This year, July 15th falls on a Sunday.

But the last minute rush for city stickers may be less hectic than in past years. Because based on city sticker sales numbers released by City Clerk Susana Mendoza’s office, many more city stickers have been sold this year.

Much of the increase is probably due to the extended sales season which began over four weeks earlier than in previous years with a May 1st start compared to the normal June 1st.

According to numbers as of June 30th, the Clerk’s office has sold 681,965 stickers–that’s 76,000 more than the same time last year–a full 12% increase. Online sales are up 8% over last year while sales at Currency Exchanges and other community locations are up 32% compared to last year.

“From the beginning of my term, I made a promise to save taxpayer money while improving the customer experience,” says City Clerk Mendoza. “I’m proud that this year’s sticker season to date has surpassed last year’s record.”

However, with one week left, procrastinating drivers need to get moving.

While purchasing online is a convenient way of getting this year’s sticker, if you use the Clerk’s EZ Buy website now, you will probably not get your sticker in time.

There are still many options for motorists to purchase their city stickers before the deadline. Chicagoans can go to one of the City Clerk’s three offices as well as the several Department of Finance payment center locations. Another option is to use your neighborhood Currency Exchanges which are convenient outlets for the stickers but do charge a small convenience fee for the service.

This year, city stickers will cost most car owners $85, while owners of larger SUV type vehicles will pay $135 and small truck owners will have to pony up $200.

But no matter what, drivers must get their 2012-2013 city sticker on their vehicle’s windshield no later than July 15th.

That’s because fines for not having your city sticker after the grace period ends are now $200–a fine which can be levied every day. In addition, there’s a $60 late fee if you buy your city sticker after July 15th.

What are you waiting for? Get moving!

City Clerk Susana Mendoza works the line for city stickers at City Hall during lunch time Friday

Friday during lunch time, City Clerk Susana Mendoza stood in room 107 of City Hall, surrounded by drivers standing in line looking to purchase their 2012-2013 Chicago city vehicle sticker.

Between pointing motorists toward the next open window, answering questions and generally keeping the line moving as quickly as possible, Mendoza took a few moments when possible to shake hands, introduce herself and chat with the waiting, and sometimes impatient masses.

Mendoza and her staff do not like lines and have worked over her first 15 months in office to keep lines for in-person sales as short as possible this year through a emphasizing website sales and extending the sales season by a full month.

“This is the longest line we’ve seen so far,” said Mendoza enthusiastically about the lack of lines at City Hall this year. “It’s only the third day of long lines out the door (and into the hallway at City Hall. By extending the season the customer experience has been infinitely better.”

While many drivers waiting until the last minute before the June 30th expiration date of the 2011-2012 sticker were out in large numbers at City Clerk offices, Department of Finance payment centers and Currency Exchanges Friday and Saturday, vehicle owners actually have until July 15th to purchase and display their new city sticker.

But Clerk Mendoza does not want people to procrastinate and face fines and late charges. In fact, the City Clerk’s office is allowing drivers purchase their city stickers online until July 4th, confident that even these purchasers will receive their city sticker via U.S. mail before the July 15th deadline.

“I want Chicago drivers to avoid late fees and fines,” said Mendoza. “We have hundreds of locations where stickers can be purchased. Of course the easiest way to buy a sticker is using our new EZBuy online purchase application. Motorists who buy their stickers online by July 4 should receive them before the July 15th deadline.”

And this year, the fine and fees are steep and painful.

The fine for failure to display a current city vehicle sticker rose from $120 to $200–a fine that can be levied every day. While the fee for purchasing your city sticker late rose from $40 to $60.

The 2012-2012 city sticker will cost most car owners $85 this year, while owners of larger vehicles will pay $135.

For more information on city stickers, check out the Chicago City Clerk website.

Wearing a traditional sandwich board sign with a picture of this year’s sticker, Robinson stood at the corner of North Ave. and Laramie Ave., across the street from a Currency Exchange, reminding people the end was near–the end of city sticker season that it.

A few other people, dressed in bright orange T-shirts and waving signs pointing to the Currency Exchange stood on corners opposite Robinson as streams of cars drove by.

Drivers can get their city stickers a myriad of ways, and using one of over 400 neighborhood Currency Exchanges is one convenient option for busy car owners. Currency Exchanges charge a $5.50 convenience fee on top of this year’s $85 fee for most passenger cars or $135 for larger, SUV type vehicles.

Chicago’s 2011-2012 city vehicle officially expire on Saturday, June 30th. That’s when drivers should have their new 2012-2013 city sticker purchased and on the windshield of their vehicle.

However, the good news for procrastinators is that enforcement of city sticker compliance does not actually start until July 16th. The Chicago City Clerk’s office gives drivers a 15 day grace period every year.

Every June, or early July, it’s the same thing.

You schlep outside onto the street or into the garage to place your spankin’ new Chicago city vehicle sticker onto your windshield but then…

Crap.

You realize you have to remove last year’s sticker first.

And you start swearing under your breath, because that damn sticker is a real bitch to scrape off!

You try peeling it off, picking at it with a fingernail, or battling with it using your trusty razor blade, hacking away as shards of sticker spray onto your dashboard and car floor.

Removing your city sticker is always a pain in the butt. And when you’re done, you need an couple of aspirin and a stiff drink.

Outside of replacing the whole darn windshield, there has to be an easier way.

Actually, there seems to be several easier ways.

The Parking Ticket Geek has been on a quest to round up all the very best tips and advice for getting that #@%! city sticker off your windshield. And here’s what we’ve found.

The first person we spoke to was Kristine Williams. She’s the Media Spokesperson for Chicago’s City Clerk Office. She knows a lot about city stickers as her office issues over 1.3 million of these stickers every darn year. In fact, for nearly eight weeks each year, from May through late July, Williams has one single, solitary preoccupation–city stickers.

But Williams, gathered a handful of tips from staff and drivers who’ve come through the City Clerk’s offices.

Before getting into the full list of top tips, Williams’ first bit of general advice comes from a manager for the City Clerk’s licensing division. “Marion Alford-Linton, recommends people go slow and easy when removing their stickers,” says Williams. “She has found that it is less frustrating and comes off easier when going nice and slow.”

TIP #1 Windex

According to Williams, Windex is the main ingredient in the method City Clerk Susana Mendoza employs to get her city sticker off her windshield.

“Clerk Mendoza uses Windex brand window cleaner – no other brand will do! – and paper
towels to spray the city sticker first,” says Williams. “She then proceeds to use a methodical, almost surgical-like precision, to remove her sticker. She pulls at the sticker a bit, sprays and then chips at it with a razor blade little by little. Pull, spray, chip over and over.”

Williams says that Clerk Mendoza takes great pride in removing the sticker intact without ripping it to shreds.

TIP #2 Scotch Tape

Cover the sticker with Scotch tape, so it extends a bit beyond the edges. Then, use a razor blade to cut around the sticker. It should peel off along with the tape.

I would guess 2″ clear packing tape may work as well, if not better.

TIP #3 Peanut butter

Peanut butter? No seriously, Skippy, Jif…peanut butter!

“One person told me she puts peanut butter on her sticker, lets it sit and then scrapes it off with a razor blade,” explained Williams. “Yes, we all thought she was crazy, but she swore it works better than just scraping.”

TIP #4 Run The Defrost

Supposedly, running your defrost on hot during a sunny and hot day will do the trick.

“Another person told me he turns on the car defrost to loosen the sticker up,” says Williams. “He said he lets the defrost run for about 5 – 10 minutes and it loosens the sticker right up.”

Similarly, other readers suggest plugging in a hair dryer and heating up the sticker until the adhesive warms and loosens up.

TIP #5 Dishwashing Liquid

Long time reader The Angry Chicagoan proposes an idea that requires some foresight. He recommends treating your new city sticker in such a way, that next year, it can be removed easily with no elbow grease at all.

“Put a drop of dish washing liquid on the sticker,” explains the Angry Chicagoan. “run it all over the sticker so there is a thin film. It will dry out when you stick it to the windshield and you can easily remove it. You can’t tell it’s not permanently attached.”

Hopefully, your city sticker doesn’t completely detach over the course of the year, especially with the cold winters we have in Chicago.

TIP #6 Sticker Shield

Another pro-active idea was suggested by a handful of readers who recommend investing about $5-$6 in Sticker Shield. It’s a transparent plastic sleeve that you slip your city sticker into, and affix directly onto the windshield. Allegedly it’s completely invisible if applied correctly.

The only problem is that it is technically illegal to use something like this. You can be ticketed ($120) because you are again, technically, not displaying your city sticker properly.

We have no idea how often drivers using or similar products, actually get caught and/or ticketed, but there have been readers who have been stung with a $120 ticket. Parking enforcement aides and City Clerk personnel strongly suggest against using this product because of the risk of ticket, but other readers say Sticker Shield works great. So, who knows?

You can find Sticker Shield at the checkout lanes of stores like Menard’s, Ace Hardware, True Value Hardware and some auto parts stores.

TIP #7 WD-40

Another reader, named Loni, sent us a suggestion she used, which she found online.

“Hack away at the of the city sticker with a razor blade until most of it is removed,” explains Loni. “Squirt WD-40 on the whatever pieces remaining, let it soak for a few moments. Then wipe with a damp cloth. That should take care of the rest.”

TIP #8 Goo Gone

Like lacquer thinner, in general, it seems by using some sort of liquid or chemical adhesive remover like Goo Gone (which several readers have suggested), and a razor blade, you should have that old sticker off and the new city sticker on in a jiffy.

Tip #9 Ice Pack

Here’s a relatively new tip. A reader suggests making an ice pack or using one of those plastic ice packs and placing it against the city sticker. After a few minutes, whip out your trusty razor blade and go to town. The sticker allegedly comes right off.

Tip #10 Lacquer Thinner

We thought it might be a good idea to try a local hardware store to see what they suggest. Perhaps there was a power tool for the job.

We stumbled into Kabbe’s True Value Hardware, at 2550 W. Diversey in the Avondale neighborhood and spoke to the friendly staff there.

“Lacquer thinner,” said one of the clerks. “Soak it in a little lacquer thinner, and take a razor blade to it and it will come right off. Rubbing alcohol works too, but lacquer thinner is stronger and faster.”

Unfortunately, the hardware store had no power tools for the job. I was shocked that even in the 21st Century, the classic razor blade is still the weapon of choice in removing decals from windshields.

So grab your razor blade, get to work and please feel free to add your suggestions for removing city stickers to the comments below.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This piece is one of several columns we publish annually to help drivers who may not have seen this advice previously.

Herbert Pulgar and his controversial city sticker artwork

Without ever being printed, nor making it on to the windshield of any car, Herbie Pulgar’s Chicago city vehicle sticker artwork is the most famous city sticker ever.

Pulgar’s artwork was the original winning design in last year’s city sticker design contest organized by the City Clerk’s Office each year.

But just after winning his award and receiving the requisite media attention, concerns over whether the artwork contained gang related symbols erupted and Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza, who’s office handles administering the city’s vehicle sticker program made the tough, but proper decision to not use Pulgar’s design.

A media maelstrom ensued, and the story went from local to national very quickly.

After offering the honor of appearing on 1.3 million windshields to the contest’s runner-up and having her ultimately decline, the Clerk decided to design the 2012-2013 sticker in-house.

But just when Pulgar and his controversial design were finally, mercifully fading from Chicago’s collective memory, the controversy re-emerged this week.

According to a report in the Huffington Post, U.S. Representative Luis Guittierez has selected Pulgar’s city sticker artwork to appear in a Congressional art display showcasing the art of constituents being held in Washington D.C.

“Herbie is a great kid who deserves recognition and praise for this wonderful and positive piece of art,” Gutierrez said in a statement. “I think it’s a credit to Herbie and his family that he chose to honor Chicago’s first responders and I’m very proud to have his artwork represent the Fourth Congressional District in Washington, D.C.

Pulgar and his mother are in D.C. to see the boy’s artwork in the show this week and will also tour the Capitol Building as well as the White House.

With the 2012-2013 city sticker season rapidly coming to an end, can we finally put the Pulgar controversy to and end too?

Let’s hope so.

Here’s the Huffington Post’s coverage, “Artwork Of Herbie Pulgar, Chicago Teen At Center Of City Sticker Dustup, To Go On Display In D.C.“

City Clerk Mendoza poses next to Chicago's 2012-2013 city vehicle sticker

Neither rain nor snow, nor sleet nor City of Chicago system wide computer network crash shall keep this year’s city stickers from being sold.

Even though the city’s entire computer infrastructure suffered a paralyzing failure on Thursday, June 7th, where city business essentially ground to a halt, the Chicago City Clerk’s office was able to keep on selling this year’s city stickers at its three locations.

The City Clerk’s office had developed a manual backup system in anticipation of just such an event, ironically, as a result of a series of similar computer network outages almost exactly a year before.

Because the City Clerk’s office’s electronic sales system is dependent on the city’s computer network, last year city sticker sales stopped too when the city’s computer system goes down.

“Last year the City’s computer system crashed four times during our busiest sales period and we had no way of selling city vehicle stickers to thousands of customers,” said City Clerk Susana Mendoza. “That was unacceptable to me. And when I couldn’t be reassured that this would be fixed in time for our sales period this year, I had our staff create a back up in person sales system that could be launched within minutes of any issues with the City’s computer system.”

The impatient Mendoza, who has given the City Clerk’s office a head to toe makeover since she took office in April, 2011, didn’t want to be caught flat footed if city computers crashed again–especially during the frenetic period when Chicago car, truck and motorcycle owners have to renew their city vehicle stickers.

“In a City the size of Chicago, it is unthinkable that the entire government computer network would crash for any amount of time, let alone hours. The system crashing meant people were unable to access online services, including online city vehicle stickers, paying parking tickets and water bills and more. This is a disservice to Chicago taxpayers trying to conduct business with the City,” explained Mendoza.”

Adding insult to injury, on the day the city’s computers went down, a city sticker ward sale was being held in Alderman Tim Cullerton’s 38th ward office.

Since the Clerk’s backup system doesn’t need connection to a computer network, City Clerk staff were able to continue the ward sale while barely missing a beat according to Cullerton.

“We had hundreds of 38th Ward residents in line waiting to buy their city vehicle sticker,” said Alderman Cullerton. “I am grateful that the City Clerk’s Office was able to quickly switch to their secondary system and were able to still process the sticker sales for all our constituents.”

Despite the backup system she and her staff devised to allow sticker sales to continue, Mendoza seems frustrated with these ill timed computer network failures during the height of city sticker season where close to 1.3 million are sold over a handful of weeks. She’s wants things fixed.

“Without a doubt, city resources must be devoted to fixing and enhancing our computer network. Chicago taxpayers deserve a system that will not cause frustrations and disruptions,” says Mendoza. “And while our office was able to help customers purchase their city stickers in person, thousands more Chicagoans were inconvenienced and annoyed when they weren’t able to buy their stickers online due to the computer outage.”

While the 2011-2012 city sticker on car windshields expires June 30th, vehicle owners can purchase their new Chicago vehicle sticker until July 15th without late fee or threat of a $200 parking ticket.

Drivers can purchase their city stickers online, at any City Clerk office location, Department of Finance payment center or at any of 400 local Currency Exchanges across the city.

City Clerk Mendoza poses next to Chicago's 2012-2013 city vehicle sticker

One month earlier than in past years, City Clerk Susana Mendoza has opened sales for Chicago city vehicle stickers a full month early starting today.

City stickers are available at all three City Clerk office locations, all four Department of Revenue payment locations and also at over 400 neighborhood Currency Exchanges.

Historically, in-person city sticker sales began June 1st for the month of June, but then drivers were given a 15 day grace period from July 1st to July 15th to buy and get their sticker onto their car’s windshield.

“We’ve made a number of changes to this year’s vehicle sticker sales process,
including extending the sales period to help reduce in person wait times and allow ample time for people to purchase their sticker,” said Clerk Mendoza. “We’ve already seen a dramatic increase in our online sales, with nearly 13,000 more stickers sold in the first week of online sales compared to last year.”

With 10 weeks of sales instead of the normal six weeks, City Clerk staff is hoping the extended buying season will dramatically reduce lines and wait times as well as make the sales season less hectic and stressful.

And so far, it seems to be working as lines at the Clerk’s City Hall offices, sales volume are brisk and lines are moving fast according to City Clerk spokesperson Kristine Williams.

“The lines have been steady today, but not like before,” says Williams. “Hopefully stretching the season out will reduce wait times.”

Chicago vehicle owners, in order to purchase their city sticker, must bring their driver’s license or renewal form and know their vehicle license plate number. Drivers should also make sure they have the make and model of their car so it can be added to the front of this year’s city sticker–a new security feature added this year.

Unfortunately for drivers, the cost of city stickers have gone up this year as Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the City Council bumped up prices last fall.

Passenger car stickers are now $85, a $10 increase while SUVs city stickers will now be $135 a $15 increase. Pickup trucks are now $200, a $20 increase and larger trucks are $450 a $30 bump.

In addition, drivers who refuse to purchase this year’s sticker risk a $200 fine for failure to purchase or display a 2012-2013 city sticker. That compares to $120 last year. Late fees have also risen going up to $60 from the $40 price last year.