French Woman Wants Parking Meter in Front of her House

We have a fan on our facebook page whose name is Scarlett. Go here and scroll down to see her postings. She lives near Strasbourg, in France. She tells us she is reading this page to increase her English skills. I try to respond to her in high school French and get peals of laughter in return. However today she found and posted a story from New Orleans generally about the amount of money being collected. The number impressed her and she commented that maybe she could put a couple of meters in front of her house. She could use the extra money.

I thing that’s a tremendous idea.

I believe that everyone who parks on a street anywhere should pay. And why shouldn’t the property owner where the car is parked get the profit. They are the ones that are putting up with the traffic and the cars blocking their views.

Consider this. A neighborhood sets up a parking district and installs meters. If someone wants to park there, they can pay whatever the going rate happens to be. If you want to be politically correct (I wouldn’t do this) you can give a permit to the home owner for one car, but if they park more, they pay. The money goes to pay for the enforcement and collection, and what is left over is credited to the property taxes of the homeowner. Everyone wins. Cars are taken off the street because garages will be cleaned out so the meter doesn’t have to be fed. The streets are safer because enforcement is moving around the area. And life is fair. Drivers are paying for what they use. The city isn’t subsidizing the parking. Some drivers may even decide to get rid of a car or two so they don’t have to pay for parking. See, even I can be green.

Great idea, Scarlett – keep em coming.

JVH

PS – I responded to her in French the other day while I was on a plane. I said, in French, that I was “under” (sous) rather than “on” (sur) the plane. She responded to my staff that I was trying to commit suicide by riding under the plane. She told me I really would be more comfortable “ON” or “In” the plane. Mr. Littman, HS French teacher, is rolling in his grave.