Got a clipping from the Pioneer Press in Evanston — If you like you can search for it yourself on the ‘net. My source is from "deep background" in the Midwest, somewhere.
The city has proposed that it raise the fines for meter tickets. This little proposal would increase revenue almost $300K. The council doesn’t think that’s a good idea, and instead recommended that fines only be raised on tickets that were paid late and those for fire hydrant and like offenses.
The classic comment was from a local resident who said and I paraphrase: I don’t like going downtown, I either can’t find a space or get a ticket. The city uses "parking nazis."
So, lets see — there’s not enough parking spaces and people that park in the ones that exist don’t pay the fee to park. And when they get caught, the raise hell about it. Nothing new here.
What’s the solution??? I say hire more folks to write tickets, boot them, tow cars that have overstayed, and then — raise the costs at the meters. Guess what, I will guarantee you that merchants will be ecstatic over the increase in available parking and in their business.
The purpose of on street parking is to give people the ability to visit local merchants. Its not for people to come and stay all day — my guess is that many of the people getting the citations are employees of those very merchants.
J
