After getting tough last month with windshield washers, city officials here would now like to crack down on illegal parking attendants.
According to city security councillor Graziano Cioni, the problem of aggressive parking attendants "is getting worse but unfortunately we do not have adequate means to deal with them".
He added that the issue was now on the agenda of the next meeting of the provincial public security committee.
Data from municipal police showed that while 80 fines were issued between 2003 and 2006 against the illegal parking attendants, 111 had been issued in the first months of this year.
"The real problem is that we do not have efficient means to combat this phenomenon," Municipal Police Chief Alessandro Bartolini agreed.
Florence used to have only five or six 'historic' parking attendants, mostly southern Italians, who primarily worked at night and during special events.
However, the number has increased significantly with the influx of immigrants and they are now operating during the day as well.
The greatest complaint is that not only do the attendants demand money to watch over a vehicle, but often threaten to damage it if the owner refuses to pay.
The city's crackdown on windshield washers sparked a nationwide debate last month but proved effective when the washers, most illegal immigrants, were threatened with up to three months in jail or a fine of 206 euros.
The city argued that the phenomenon had become a security risk and that insistent washers were pestering and in some cases haranguing motorists, particularly unaccompained women drivers.
Officials in the left-wing city government pointed out that the immigrants possessed no legal licences to wash cars and claimed the job also represented a health hazard because washers tossed their dirty water into the street.
"We are not targeting poor people and beggars. This is a response to the arrogance and belligerence of many washers towards motorists who don't give them as much as they want," Cioni said at the time.
But some critics of the measure, especially on the left, said it was excessive and accused the council of racism.
Meanwhile, on the right, the crackdown was dismissed as a "propaganda exercise".
"If they really want to do something about this problem, they should deport the washers, most of whom are here illegally," said rightist Senator Achille Totaro.
However Verona Mayor Flavio Tosi, a member of the devolutionist Northern League which is often criticised as anti-immigrant, said he would introduce a similar ban if the Florence measure proved effective.
