Chicago's Meter Mess

NORTH Lion: We're getting lots of emails and feedback on Chicago's parking meter tax hike.
SOUTH Lion: It's one of those issues that really has people fired up. Like the AIG bonuses on bailout funds.
NORTH: Chicago's City Council recently approved a deal to privatize the meters that quadruples the parking meter rates. Meters jumped to a quarter for 7 minutes in the Loop. A quarter for 15 minutes in many areas.
SOUTH: It's a 75-year lease that gave the city $1.2 billion to fill-in its budget deficit. The private meter company keeps all the quarters you feed into the meters. The city makes money off tickets when the parking meters expire. In addition to the rate hike, it's now a 7 day a week meter feed. No more Sundays or holidays without hungry meters.
NORTH: Surpise, surprise, the private company rolled out its sky high meter rates in short order right after the deal was signed and altered parking dynamics in Chicago.
SOUTH: Now we're hearing drivers are avoiding the meters. Parking on side streets or long-term lots.
NORTH: And if they avoid the parking meters, that means less parking tickets. So the city doesn't get as much money from that part of the deal. Does that spell more budget trouble for the city in years to come?
SOUTH: And what does that mean for Chicago businesses like bakeries and shops in Wicker Park and Lincoln Park? A lot of their revenues come from folks who just stop by or run a 20 minute errand. If they don't want to deal with the meter mess, they don't stop in. They don't spend. Ouch.
NORTH: Really, the meter rate hike is a tax increase, one of the worst in the city.
SOUTH: Many feel that this was a desperate move by the city council. Dealing with a budget shortfall, they panicked and cut the deal to plug the holes this year.
NORTH: But it's a 75-year deal. And it's already having bad effects. Check out Carol Marin's recent column in the Chicago Sun-Times. http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/1488763,CST-EDT-carol22.article
SOUTH: Bad move, indeed. We'll be watching this.