After 6-weeks of having parking meters operational in downtown, the City Commission literally bagged the program -- at least until October, when seasonal business usually picks up. When I posted this photo, I had planned on waiting a couple of months before providing an update on how the program was being received. Gosh....you haven't even seen the meters. Well, stay tuned for a meter update in October. Will they stay or will they go?
8 comments:
My small town did away with the meters years ago.
Locals must be up in arms!
Uh-oh... hopefully they will give it up! Hate meters, although they are part of life in a big city.
I know there were a lot of reactions to the meters. I hesitated to go downtown because of it. It's hard enough parking downtown as it is!
Now, wait just a moment. Forget the meters. Why does the city of Sarasota incorporate a naked man into its typography? I think we got a scandal brewing here . . .
at least they have a nice statue on the bag.
Strange!
While I’m certain there are more of you who would rather have “free” parking downtown, versus to pay a dollar or two…. and who doesn’t like “everything” for free… but one must consider “where ” the money comes from, to pay for services such as park maintenance, road maintenance, tree maintenance downtown,police, firemen, etc… taxes alone, simply do not cover “all” the funds needed, to pay for these services, so, the City needs to look at other revenues.. such as paid parking. When was the last time, someone went to the beach and “paid” to park? Try doing this in Englewood, or St. Pete… where paid parking has been implemented for years..to help pay for services needed to run a city. And all the rhetoric whining by the City businesses, saying paid parking has hurt their business, and I’d say there are a lot of “liars” out there. Want to see a City business whine, ask them to stay open past 6:00 p.m. during “season” as Andrea - (previous downtown Sarasota Business Association President has tried unsuccessfuly tried to do). Andrea even provided “proof” that downtown businesses would almost double their income, if they were to stay open later during the height of the tourist season and the area businesses shot her idea down. Yet, they whine about the parking meters “hurting” their business. Sorry, but they’re crying to the wrong person here… Since the inception of the parking meters, they have netted over $40K - enough to keep a City worker employed for a year… The bottom line here is; while we need the City’s valuable services they provide the community, the money needs to come from somewhere… if not the meters, I’d suggest the writers contact the City Commissioners and provide some better ideas on where to get the money from… anyone? >>> “Sarasota Looks At Job Cuts” > http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20110707/ARTICLE/110709663/2416/NEWS?Title=Sarasota-may-cut-jobs-and-services-to-balance-budget
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