Abandon Hope

Well, they’re looking at it.

The last regime drove the City into a ditch, and current crop are looking to dig the ditch deeper.

The City Council on Tuesday directed staff to develop a possible entertainment parking district with a $5 flat fee after 6 p.m. during certain Downtown events.

Under the proposed change to the city’s parking ordinance, there would be 703 metered parking spaces near Southwest University Park and the Plaza Theatre where patrons would pay $5 after 6 p.m., but pay the regular metered rate before 6 p.m. and not have to return to pay the higher meter rate.

I am certainly no parking meter expert. Can the current meters tell when one car leaves a metered spot and another one takes its place? Can the sensors (if they exist) be screened by, say, a guy in a leather jacket, or maybe just a Pepsi can, or a wad of Juicy Fruit, so people can switch cars without the meters noticing? Or is the City going to order the meter maids to drive their Segways around like crazy at precisely six o’clock to tag all the car extant?

Unfortunately, the damage is largely done. Already half the people who read the daily rag think the City has raised downtown parking rates. We might as well tear down some more historic buildings because City Council has driven a stake through the heart of the business district.

At least District 1 Representative Peter Svarzbein did the principled thing and recused himself from the vote.

What?

Did he recuse himself because, I don’t know, he’s dating a meter maid? He owns a parking lot? Or did he abstain?

Have you ever been in a room full of smart people? City Hall is not like that.

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