Channel 3 News Investigator Tom Meyer found that city employees owed $30,825 in overdue traffic fines.
But Cleveland City Hall says they're unable to locate vehicle records so they have no choice but to take the money out of the general fund.
The tickets in question were issued prior to August, 2008 and they're for everything from speeding to running a red light.
City hall implemented a new policy that now requires city employees to pay their own tickets.
Darnell Brown, the Mayor's chief operating officer, told The Investigator that the city has collected $45,000 so far from city employees.
As for the poor record-keeping, Brown said "I can't attest to what it is. What I know is we don't have a record that I can put my hands on."
City Councilman Jeffrey Johnson criticized the administration for not digging deeper to find the records.
"There should be no special treatment for employees with city cars," Johnson said.
The unpaid tickets that taxpayers are now responsible for paying cover a six-year period ending in July, 2008. The infractions occurred during both the Mayor Jane Campbell and Mayor Frank Jackson administrations.
Cleveland Municipal Clerk of Courts Earle Turner is still trying to collect about $21,000 in unpaid tickets from Cuyahoga County.
Cuyahoga County Administrator James McCafferty says the county is trying to work out an agreeent for payment with Turner's office.
Both the county and city admitted their vehicle logs were poorly maintained, making it nearly impossible to determine who was responsible for both parking and moving violations.
WKYC-TV