Saturday, August 14, 2010

Penny, nickel and diming

The other day after the borough council meeting, COLUMBIA TALK posted about the pending changes in the costs of the parking meters.
Sometime in the next month, once the meters are adjusted, it will cost those visiting our downtown 25 cents for 30 minutes of parking, instead of 25 cents for an hour.
I've done some thinking on the issue, talked to a few business people and sat through the first 90 minutes or so of council's market committee meeting on Thursday night (a story will be "filed" on that meeting).
One comment I heard was people/businesses would probably agree to the increase in cost, if Columbia's downtown was thriving and we didn't need to attract visitors to our town to survive. Now, it's like "welcome to Columbia" and you're going to have to dig deep to visit and get a big thank you for visiting in terms of a ticket.
And speaking of that ticketing process, which the borough has stepped up in recent months, "tagging" people until 9 p.m.on Friday and six every other day but Sunday, I understand last night on the late shift (until 9 p.m.), 44 tickets were given out and some nasty words thrown in the direction of the parking enforcement official.  And some of those were probably attending a class reunion held downtown.
Again, nickel and diming.
Many of those downtown just are shaking their heads at the time change and some wonder if any business people were even consulted about the change? Any bets on that?
So as the nickel and diming continues, here is another suggestion. Since the borough employees are exempt from plugging meters, while they are working, for one month, change the exemption, where they have to stop what they are doing and walk out and slug the meters say every hour or every two hours. And like others in town, if their meter is on zero, they get a ticket and they have to pay them. Then see what happens.
Like I said last week, nickel and diming people isn't the financial answer. Consistent code enforcement and using the truck scales to its fullest potential is one way, the borough could be very well off financially.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't mind the 25 cents for 30 minutes, however I think at that price we should be able to plug for up to 5 hours - if we have to a higher price, at least give us the liberty to pay for five hours at a time!! - and it might even increase revenue as people will plug more quarters then they really need just to be safe!! - and why should the Borough care about the limit - they are getting the money!!

Tom said...

The meters downtown are equipped with a "cash key" port. But yet I have never seen anything about cash keys being offered - unless it is a well-guarded secret. I don't park downtown enough to bother, but some might...

http://www.parkalbany.com/CashKey.aspx

Anonymous said...

Maybe if they fixed the sidewalks and planted some new trees down Locust Street I wouldn't be so ticked off about the price increase. At least then the money made on Locust street, would be used on Locust street!

Anonymous said...

i agree they're trying to bring people downtown and getting a $5 meter ticket really pisses them off-but if there were no meters or no time constaints ALL the renters, tenants, visitors, etc will park there-the apt bldgs should have their own off st parking lots

Chris Will said...

I thought I would bring up something that happened to my family once.

We went to Crayola factory tour a while back and the only parking I could find was on the street. I plugged the meter for 2 hours(max it would take) and looked at my watch. Later, while at the tour I realized that we would not be back in time so I left my wife and kids to go plug the meter again. I was at the meter before the 2 hours were up but I already had a ticket on the windshield and the meter ran out. I was very upset to say the least. Since that time my wife has asked a couple of times to take the kids back and I said.....is there really any question what I said...I said I am never going there again.

Unknown said...

I JUST CANNOT SEE A POLICE OFFICER WHO IS ON A CALL, DOMESTIC, ACCIDENT, ROBBERY, ASSAULT, ETC. TELLING THE VICTIM CAN YOU WAIT A FEW MINUTES, I'LL BE RIGHT BACK, THIS MONTH I HAVE TO PUT MONEY IN THE METER TO WORK AND I NEED TO DO IT NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS CALL OR I WILL GET A TICKET. DO YOU THINK THAT IS A GOOD IDEA. I DON'T, I THINK THAT WOULD MAKE A VICTIM MAD. MAYBE FOR THAT MONTH THEY COULD HIRE A PERSON AND ALL THE EMPLOYEES COULD GIVE THEM A ROLL OR QUARTERS AND THAT PERSON COULD SLUG THE METERS ALL DAY. WHAT DO YOU THINK A FAIR WAGE WOULD BE, MAYBE $10.00 A HOUR?

Anonymous said...

The times never changed. There just was no staffing around to cover the actual times the meters were to be enforced. Also some borough employees may not be able to constantly plug the meters while working.

Anonymous said...

well Cris, you shouldn't be so stubborn - if the wife and kids want to go back don't ruin their fun just 'cause you got a chip on your shoulder over a little parking ticket

Anonymous said...

actually, $5 dollar tickets don't really bother people all that much - they sort of laugh at the Borough for only changing five bucks when other cities charge $20 or more

Peggy said...

Boro employees park at meters free while working? What? Make them buy a parking permit! I work for Penndot in Harrisburg and I pay $55 a month to park.