page_title: Lincoln Towing Service
section_title: 1960's & 70's
hierarchical_section_title: Lincoln Towing Service / Controversies / 1960's & 70's
caption_attribution_description: English: Lincoln Towing Service sign
context_page_description: Lincoln Towing Service is the DBA name of Protective Parking Corporation, one of the largest towing services in Chicago, in the U.S. state of Illinois. The primary business location is at 4882 N. Clark Street, in the Uptown community area of Chicago in Cook County, with a second location at 4601 W. Armitage Avenue. The company was founded by Ross Cascio, who sold the company on January 20, 1981.
  The firm became controversial in the late 1960s and 1970s, with Chicago Daily News columnist Mike Royko publishing several articles on Cascio's alleged strong-arm tactics, Aldermanic candidate Dick Simpson making the firm a campaign issue, and folk singer Steve Goodman writing a song about the firm, calling them the "Lincoln Park Pirates."
  The company describes itself as relocators who protect property owners from illegal parkers on parking lots with contracts for the company's services. Its business is parking enforcement, and the company does not provide roadside assistance. The company, its relocators and its dispatchers are regulated and licensed by the Illinois Commerce Commission. On September 12, 2018, the ICC revoked Lincoln Towing's Illinois relocation towing license.
context_section_description: Starting in 1967, Chicago Daily News columnist Mike Royko wrote a series of articles about Cascio that continued for over a decade.  Royko claimed that "to intimidate those who objected, Cascio hung bats, blackjacks, chains and other pacifiers on his office wall.  If a person tried to escape with his own car, Cascio's men would dance on his chest."  Cascio sued Royko twice, but lost both suits.
  As early as 1968, complaints were lodged against Lincoln Towing Service claiming that the company was towing cars without legal standing and threatening people who tried to reclaim automobiles without paying.
  In 1971, the company became an issue during the 44th Ward aldermanic race. James Kargman, one of the candidates, called for a campaign to "hit Cascio in the pocketbook—where it hurts." Kargman worked to encourage several local businesses to cancel contracts with Lincoln Towing Service. In an interview, Cascio commented, "Most of these firms that canceled have informed me they'd be back after the aldermanic elections are over and the heat is off." Shortly after the aldermanic race, a mob of 300 people attacked a Lincoln Towing employee who was removing a car from a parking lot.
  The Chicago City Council debated taking actions against the firm.
  In 1972, Chicago folk singer Steve Goodman wrote the song "Lincoln Park Pirates" about Lincoln Towing Service.  Although he originally only performed the song in Chicago, he was eventually convinced that the sentiments of the song were recognizable outside Chicago. Although initially Chicago stations would not play the song with Ross Cascio's name in it for fear of lawsuits, eventually it became known that Cascio was proud of the song and airplay followed.
caption: Sign showing prices before June 13, 2007 state authorized price increases
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