The meters should be moved to the residential areas and free parking with no meters in the business areas. That way people that live up in the residential areas will park down town in the free parking business areas and go shopping while they walk back home a few blocks !!
When this Council decided to increase the rates I had ask them to consider talking with the business community before voting on this measure. No sooner than I sat down they voted to increase the rates. What makes anyone think this Council is capable of (there are a few on Council who are good) doing something right for the Borough. The only change is on the horizon....A new Council.
why not make it easy and make all downtown parking 1 hour parking, free parking, but one hour only - no need to collect money, just walk around and time the cars and if they are there more then one hour, ticket them for ten bucks and make the money on the tickets, not on the quarters - non one shops for more then one hour anyway - and they can always move their car - they have this type parking in larger cities
i have to say that i wish they'd have meeters where i live-although that isn't feasible so instead WHY DON'T WE HAVE PERMIT PARKING ???? i am sick and tired of my neighbors with 3 or 4 cars parked at my house 24/7. guess what? if my sidewalk and curb need fixed - are they going to pay to fix it ??? and what about the taxes i pay for my property - i am responsible for the curb area - it's ridiculous !!!! BUT i can't park 1 vehicle in front of my property that i pay taxes for and upkeep, etc....ALL RESIDNETS SHOULD HAVE 1 PARKING SPACE IN FORNT OF THEIR PROPERTY TO MAINTAIN (HELL, THEY HAVE TO P[AY ALL THE TAXES ON IT)...BRING ON PERMIT PARKING. do you have any idea how much money they could make on this ???? someone is sleeping or doesn't want to do the legwork....how hard is it
Tim Swartz should run for Mayor next time! - Tim is a business man, he knows what it takes to make a profit! - and that's what we need more then anything else - Columbia needs to run in the black and not in the RED!!!
" i have to say that i wish they'd have meeters where i live-although that isn't feasible so instead WHY DON'T WE HAVE PERMIT PARKING ???? i am sick and tired of my neighbors with 3 or 4 cars parked at my house 24/7. guess what? if my sidewalk and curb need fixed - are they going to pay to fix it ??? and what about the taxes i pay for my property - i am responsible for the curb area - it's ridiculous !!!! BUT i can't park 1 vehicle in front of my property that i pay taxes for and upkeep, etc....ALL RESIDNETS SHOULD HAVE 1 PARKING SPACE IN FORNT OF THEIR PROPERTY TO MAINTAIN (HELL, THEY HAVE TO P[AY ALL THE TAXES ON IT)...BRING ON PERMIT PARKING. do you have any idea how much money they could make on this ???? someone is sleeping or doesn't want to do the legwork....how hard is it "
It may be your curb, but it is not your street. Granted it can be a pain to have someone park in front of your house (and can be downright rude), but one space? Many own (and pay registration and taxes for) more than one vehicle. Even in Lancaster the permit parking is more generic - with no one having assigned spaces (that's what driveways are for if you so choose/are lucky).
Besides, the parking is an result of the single-family houses being converted to multiple apartments. But that ship has long since sailed...
NO, the parking has nothing to do with single family homes being turned into apts, THE PARKING has to do with THE IDIOTS THAT HAVE 3 OR 4 CARS AND THINK THEY CAN AND SHOULD PARK THEM IN FRONT OF BOTH NEIGHBORS HOUSES 24/7...THEY DON'T PAY TAXES AT THE CURB IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND THEY DAMN SURE DON'T FIX THE CURB THEY KEEP RUNNING INTO AND DAMAGING...THEY HAVE 4 CARS AND .....GET THIS..... A 2 CAR GARAGE AND ALSO 2 OFF STREET PARKING SPACES ..... BUT GUESS WHAT.....THEY DO NOT USE ANY OF IT....too lazy to walk from the garage to the back door. unbeleiveable....bring on the permit parking. even on top of the exorbitant taxes we pay, i would pay for the space in front of my house-it only makes sense, we have to maintain it... now if only the boro would make the rental props have their own off street parking
As long as they have properly registered vehicles, they can park them in front of your house. You do not own the street.
And explain to me how a single family house with 30' of frontage turned into 3 or 4 apartments does not create a parking problem. I'd love to hear it.
Maybe if they have permit parking for specific slots, they should auction off the slots to the highest bidder. Maybe your neighbor will opt to buy the spot in front of your house. Not like you have any real claim to it... it's the borough's street.
R. Stepenchak....What part don't you understand? I suggested change for a start. I have been reading your letters to the editor over the years and I found them to be quite frankly, a little strange. If your in fact the writer of those (letter to the Editors) and suggest I always complain with offering no suggestions please re-read your letters from previous writings and stop throwing out criticism towards others. (If your not than I aplogize) Although well written but very anti-everything. As for additional suggestions to stimulate the downtown...keep reading my future postings. I would hope that I see your name in the running for School Board or Borough Council. The comment you made "What do you think talking with the business owners will accomplish" sounds as though you supported our Borough Council President who made a statement to the taxpayers "You cannot not run government like a business". A few weeks back one of our County Commissioners was quoted in the paper as saying "County Government is just like a commercial/industrial business. You always have to be looking at your costs." I'm always willing to sit down and discuss issues with anybody. Please feel free to email me or call me any time. I love the quote from Harry S. Truman..."I don't give people hell, I just give them the truth....they think that's hell". Have a great Holiday Season and a healthy and prosperous New Year. There's another suggestion for Columbia. Creating a PROSPEROUS and vibrant downtown.
Tom, like it or not, if I've been parking in front of MY house for 20 years and paying taxes on MY property, i sure as hell ain't going to sit in MY living room and let some band of Egyptians or Mexicans move in to the ten unit house next door and take over MY favorite parking space, no matter who has claim to the street.
bottom line is that parking meters are a tremendous resource for the Borough. It's not the Boroughs responsiblity to contemplate over the question of .... if we raise meter prices the "renters will be upset", the "business owners will be upset", the "tax paying residents will be upset" , "we'll gain business", we'll loose business". etc. etc. etc.
but rather, it is the Borough's responsiblity to be fiscally responsible and raise the meter prices and put more meters in to gain the much needed revenue. The property owners, business owners, landlords and tenants need to figure out what to do if they don't the like metered parking. It's not the Borough's problem.
You can raise meter prices to $5000 an hour. Good luck on getting anyone to pay it. You have to balance the supply and demand curves. Yes, if the parking was free, then people would never move their cars. But you can't keep jacking up the prices, either. You'll receive ZERO revenue from the meters if no one parks there.
And to the other anonymous poster: you do not own the street. As long as they have vehicles that are properly licensed and registered and follow all state and borough codes, then yes, they can park in front of your house. It sucks but there isn't anything you can do.
Don't like it? Go move to a property with plenty of on-site private parking. Why do you think the suburbs with their cul-de-sacs and driveways are so popular?
In previous comments in this blog it was mentioned that T. Swartz should run for mayor and that he is a business man. Excuse me, where has Tim been, he could have run for mayor in last couple of elections but didn't "run" for mayor, could it be he knew he could not beat the competition? A business man, what business does he own, operated, etc? Or do you mean he is a sales person as opposed to a business man? I do hear there is a good amount of time spent in Columbia bars,conjuring up business, does that qualify as a business man? Tim speaks a good bit but I don't see his mane associated with any volunteer organizations linked to the betterment of the Columbia Borough.It is easy to critize but where are the solutions for all the criticism he fosters? Yes, we need experienced people in our council and school board positions, but I must question, does Tim qualify?
As I always have I confront my critics one on one. I read the above comments from R. Stepenchak and felt it was time to have a serious conversation. I do not know Mr. Stepenchak at all other than reading his letters in the newspapers. (I don't agree with a lot of his writings. As he or anyone else may not agree with me). Things just did not make sense while reading his attacks towards me. We spoke on the phone and to his surprise he was stunned and angry by what I told him. He vehemently denied writing on this blog and said he did not know who I was. As I stated in previous postings, its so easy to be a coward/spineless person not to sign your name or hide behind someone else's name. I truly believe Mr. Stepenchak would express his opinions either by admitting he is the author of these comments or would attack me through what he is known for...Letter to the Editor's. I have no problem with personal attacks towards me providing they hold at least a mininum of an ounce of truth. I have broad shoulders and thick blood. So to the buffoon who has an interest in me please get a backbone and a life. Your comments about me not being involved are somewhat incorrect. I spent four year on Borough Council from 1996 to 2000. I served with a good Council and we were able to leave a surplus of around a million dollars along with providing services and rebuilding roads. Today we are in debt to the tune of five million plus. Check the records if you don't believe me. I never said I was a businessman. I have been blessed to work in an industry that allows me to travel all over this great country. So, you are right on one point. I don't do alot of volunteering because I travel often. As for me conducting business or making sales pitches in the local drinking establisments, please join me as I like to buy drinks and hold conversations. Providing your not already there watching me.If you do not like hearing the truth please move a fews seats down from me. You must have an interesting life to be focusing on me. I have ask Mr. Ford if he would kindly scruntize his writers if it is at all possible. I think before another posting from Mr Stepenchak appears there will be a line of communication between he and Mr. Ford, as I have requested. What's really funny is after this is posted it would not surprise me if the person who using R. Stepenchak's name is sitting there laughing along with someone else sitting close by while reading my response. LOL!
Could the imposter poster be a member of Council? the Borough Administration? the Police force? OR even the Mayor? God knows Mr. Swartz has taken shots at many of them!
21 comments:
The meters should be moved to the residential areas and free parking with no meters in the business areas. That way people that live up in the residential areas will park down town in the free parking business areas and go shopping while they walk back home a few blocks !!
Yeah, that will get people to move here. /sarcasm
When this Council decided to increase the rates I had ask them to consider talking with the business community before voting on this measure. No sooner than I sat down they voted to increase the rates. What makes anyone think this Council is capable of (there are a few on Council who are good) doing something right for the Borough. The only change is on the horizon....A new Council.
Tim Swartz
why not make it easy and make all downtown parking 1 hour parking, free parking, but one hour only - no need to collect money, just walk around and time the cars and if they are there more then one hour, ticket them for ten bucks and make the money on the tickets, not on the quarters - non one shops for more then one hour anyway - and they can always move their car - they have this type parking in larger cities
the problem is that ALL the renters whose apts are grandfathered in have no parking and therefore, would take ALL the downtown parking 24/7
i have to say that i wish they'd have meeters where i live-although that isn't feasible so instead WHY DON'T WE HAVE PERMIT PARKING ????
i am sick and tired of my neighbors with 3 or 4 cars parked at my house 24/7. guess what? if my sidewalk and curb need fixed - are they going to pay to fix it ??? and what about the taxes i pay for my property - i am responsible for the curb area - it's ridiculous !!!! BUT i can't park 1 vehicle in front of my property that i pay taxes for and upkeep, etc....ALL RESIDNETS SHOULD HAVE 1 PARKING SPACE IN FORNT OF THEIR PROPERTY TO MAINTAIN (HELL, THEY HAVE TO P[AY ALL THE TAXES ON IT)...BRING ON PERMIT PARKING. do you have any idea how much money they could make on this ???? someone is sleeping or doesn't want to do the legwork....how hard is it
T. Swartz continues to complain, but offers no suggestions for improvement. What do you think talking with the business owners would accomplish
business owners are the backbone of the downtown, and it makes perfect sense to talk to them! - go Tim !!
Tim Swartz should run for Mayor next time! - Tim is a business man, he knows what it takes to make a profit! - and that's what we need more then anything else - Columbia needs to run in the black and not in the RED!!!
Anonymous said...
" i have to say that i wish they'd have meeters where i live-although that isn't feasible so instead WHY DON'T WE HAVE PERMIT PARKING ????
i am sick and tired of my neighbors with 3 or 4 cars parked at my house 24/7. guess what? if my sidewalk and curb need fixed - are they going to pay to fix it ??? and what about the taxes i pay for my property - i am responsible for the curb area - it's ridiculous !!!! BUT i can't park 1 vehicle in front of my property that i pay taxes for and upkeep, etc....ALL RESIDNETS SHOULD HAVE 1 PARKING SPACE IN FORNT OF THEIR PROPERTY TO MAINTAIN (HELL, THEY HAVE TO P[AY ALL THE TAXES ON IT)...BRING ON PERMIT PARKING. do you have any idea how much money they could make on this ???? someone is sleeping or doesn't want to do the legwork....how hard is it "
It may be your curb, but it is not your street. Granted it can be a pain to have someone park in front of your house (and can be downright rude), but one space? Many own (and pay registration and taxes for) more than one vehicle. Even in Lancaster the permit parking is more generic - with no one having assigned spaces (that's what driveways are for if you so choose/are lucky).
Besides, the parking is an result of the single-family houses being converted to multiple apartments. But that ship has long since sailed...
NO, the parking has nothing to do with single family homes being turned into apts, THE PARKING has to do with THE IDIOTS THAT HAVE 3 OR 4 CARS AND THINK THEY CAN AND SHOULD PARK THEM IN FRONT OF BOTH NEIGHBORS HOUSES 24/7...THEY DON'T PAY TAXES AT THE CURB IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND THEY DAMN SURE DON'T FIX THE CURB THEY KEEP RUNNING INTO AND DAMAGING...THEY HAVE 4 CARS AND .....GET THIS..... A 2 CAR GARAGE AND ALSO 2 OFF STREET PARKING SPACES ..... BUT GUESS WHAT.....THEY DO NOT USE ANY OF IT....too lazy to walk from the garage to the back door. unbeleiveable....bring on the permit parking. even on top of the exorbitant taxes we pay, i would pay for the space in front of my house-it only makes sense, we have to maintain it... now
if only the boro would make the rental props have their own off street parking
As long as they have properly registered vehicles, they can park them in front of your house. You do not own the street.
And explain to me how a single family house with 30' of frontage turned into 3 or 4 apartments does not create a parking problem. I'd love to hear it.
Maybe if they have permit parking for specific slots, they should auction off the slots to the highest bidder. Maybe your neighbor will opt to buy the spot in front of your house. Not like you have any real claim to it... it's the borough's street.
R. Stepenchak....What part don't you understand? I suggested change for a start. I have been reading your letters to the editor over the years and I found them to be quite frankly, a little strange. If your in fact the writer of those (letter to the Editors) and suggest I always complain with offering no suggestions please re-read your letters from previous writings and stop throwing out criticism towards others. (If your not than I aplogize) Although well written but very anti-everything. As for additional suggestions to stimulate the downtown...keep reading my future postings. I would hope that I see your name in the running for School Board or Borough Council. The comment you made "What do you think talking with the business owners will accomplish" sounds as though you supported our Borough Council President who made a statement to the taxpayers "You cannot not run government like a business". A few weeks back one of our County Commissioners was quoted in the paper as saying "County Government is just like a commercial/industrial business. You always have to be looking at your costs." I'm always willing to sit down and discuss issues with anybody. Please feel free to email me or call me any time. I love the quote from Harry S. Truman..."I don't give people hell, I just give them the truth....they think that's hell". Have a great Holiday Season and a healthy and prosperous New Year. There's another suggestion for Columbia. Creating a PROSPEROUS and vibrant downtown.
Regards,
Tim Swartz
Tswartz2114@aol.com
717/684/3900
Just meter the whole damn Borough! It's going to happen edventually, so let's get ahead of the curve and start collecting those quarters baby!!
7 days a week 9am to 7pm (yep, you gotta get out of bed at 8:45 to plug the meter :(
Meters can happen to everyone! - let's all share in the pain of slugging the quarters :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0Shh4DXGpw
Tom, like it or not, if I've been parking in front of MY house for 20 years and paying taxes on MY property, i sure as hell ain't going to sit in MY living room and let some band of Egyptians or Mexicans move in to the ten unit house next door and take over MY favorite parking space, no matter who has claim to the street.
bottom line is that parking meters are a tremendous resource for the Borough. It's not the Boroughs responsiblity to contemplate over the question of .... if we raise meter prices the "renters will be upset", the "business owners will be upset", the "tax paying residents will be upset" , "we'll gain business", we'll loose business". etc. etc. etc.
but rather, it is the Borough's responsiblity to be fiscally responsible and raise the meter prices and put more meters in to gain the much needed revenue. The property owners, business owners, landlords and tenants need to figure out what to do if they don't the like metered parking. It's not the Borough's problem.
You can raise meter prices to $5000 an hour. Good luck on getting anyone to pay it. You have to balance the supply and demand curves. Yes, if the parking was free, then people would never move their cars. But you can't keep jacking up the prices, either. You'll receive ZERO revenue from the meters if no one parks there.
And to the other anonymous poster: you do not own the street. As long as they have vehicles that are properly licensed and registered and follow all state and borough codes, then yes, they can park in front of your house. It sucks but there isn't anything you can do.
Don't like it? Go move to a property with plenty of on-site private parking. Why do you think the suburbs with their cul-de-sacs and driveways are so popular?
In previous comments in this blog it was mentioned that T. Swartz should run for mayor and that he is a business man. Excuse me, where has Tim been, he could have run for mayor in last couple of elections but didn't "run" for mayor, could it be he knew he could not beat the competition?
A business man, what business does he own, operated, etc? Or do you mean he is a sales person as opposed to a business man? I do hear there is a good amount of time spent in Columbia bars,conjuring up business, does that qualify as a business man? Tim speaks a good bit but I don't see his mane associated with any volunteer organizations linked to the betterment of the Columbia Borough.It is easy to critize but where are the solutions for all the criticism he fosters? Yes, we need experienced people in our council and school board positions, but I must question, does Tim qualify?
As I always have I confront my critics one on one. I read the above comments from R. Stepenchak and felt it was time to have a serious conversation. I do not know Mr. Stepenchak at all other than reading his letters in the newspapers. (I don't agree with a lot of his writings. As he or anyone else may not agree with me). Things just did not make sense while reading his attacks towards me. We spoke on the phone and to his surprise he was stunned and angry by what I told him. He vehemently denied writing on this blog and said he did not know who I was. As I stated in previous postings, its so easy to be a coward/spineless person not to sign your name or hide behind someone else's name. I truly believe Mr. Stepenchak would express his opinions either by admitting he is the author of these comments or would attack me through what he is known for...Letter to the Editor's. I have no problem with personal attacks towards me providing they hold at least a mininum of an ounce of truth. I have broad shoulders and thick blood. So to the buffoon who has an interest in me please get a backbone and a life. Your comments about me not being involved are somewhat incorrect. I spent four year on Borough Council from 1996 to 2000. I served with a good Council and we were able to leave a surplus of around a million dollars along with providing services and rebuilding roads. Today we are in debt to the tune of five million plus. Check the records if you don't believe me. I never said I was a businessman. I have been blessed to work in an industry that allows me to travel all over this great country. So, you are right on one point. I don't do alot of volunteering because I travel often. As for me conducting business or making sales pitches in the local drinking establisments, please join me as I like to buy drinks and hold conversations. Providing your not already there watching me.If you do not like hearing the truth please move a fews seats down from me. You must have an interesting life to be focusing on me. I have ask Mr. Ford if he would kindly scruntize his writers if it is at all possible. I think before another posting from Mr Stepenchak appears there will be a line of communication between he and Mr. Ford, as I have requested. What's really funny is after this is posted it would not surprise me if the person who using R. Stepenchak's name is sitting there laughing along with someone else sitting close by while reading my response. LOL!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Tim Swartz
Could the imposter poster be a member of Council? the Borough Administration? the Police force? OR even the Mayor? God knows Mr. Swartz has taken shots at many of them!
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