Down in the state capitol of South Carolina, it cost 25 cents for 20 minutes. In our town, its 25 cents for an hour downtown. I hear the meters near the post office and in the municipal parking lot are differently timed.
While, Columbia trains a new parking enforcement officer to work late afternoons and weekends, which COLUMBIA TALK warned all about a few weeks ago, comes word that borough council might approve changes to the meter timing at its Aug. 9 meeting.
At a recent meeting of council’s finance committee, it was approved to take to the full council a change in the time. If approved, 25 cents will get those parking downtown just 30 minutes on a meter.
Okay, it is not like the borough is getting rich and lowering its debt with the money from the parking meter, but once again this is not a business friendly move on the part of our council if approved.
If you want people to come downtown and I’m sure there will be comments on this part of the forum about not having much to go downtown for, but, why affect those people who have businesses downtown? Want to drive people out of town, this is one way to do it.
Sure, taking the parking meters away for good, would be an excellent idea. But, here’s the catch for that idea.
Those who live in apartments were the meters are would take up a large number of parking spaces. Been downtown when the borough isn’t checking the meters, you’ll see what we mean. Or, since M&T Bank closed, their parking lot is full. Since, the borough has no idea who is renting what downtown, this may or may not be a good idea. It would be a good idea, if our Code Enforcement folks would be doing their jobs and finding out what cars go with what rental properties and hold the landlords accountable for parking.
But again, COLUMBIA TALK ia asking are the downtown parking meters giving us the “biggest bang” for the buck that we really need them, or can we do without them?
4 comments:
you couldn't do away with meters cause as barry said-ALL the renters park there and never move-you could make some money selling parking permits for residents, with being $ 5 million in debt, the boro could use the money!!!!!
expand the area currently covered by meters, expand from Front to Sixth Street, Cherry, Locust, Walnut, Chestnut Streets. More meters, more money, anyone know how much revenue is generated from meters in the borough?
yes, expand the meter area and raise the price to 15 or 20 min for a quarter - not 30 for a quarter! - it's not fair to the taxpayers to charge too little for parking - the Borough needs the revenue to offset other expences
I've seen the meter enforcement folks collecting money from the meters, if you think Columbia Borough is getting rich off these meters think again. They are paying at least three, perhaps four people to walk the streets. I don't know why but it takes two people to dump the coins into a wagon, not once a week, but twice a week. There are other ways to get revenue other than expanding the meters to other areas. Yes, as Mr. Ford said, no meters would be a problem, much like it is on weekends.
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