New Bloomberg Parking Plans Enrage Commuters

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In trying to deal with another looming budget crisis, Mayor Bloomberg has proposed increasing parking prices throughout the city, as well as expanding a pilot program which would increase parking prices based on the busiest hours and what location you're looking to park. And that sound you hear echoing in the distance? It's the sound of the bridge and tunnel revolution: "I got kids and no work. This is one hard town to live in already, and the mayor wants to make money on everything," Acura TL owner Robert Salkey told the News.

Unless the Mayor has a sudden Christmas Eve revelation, the new pricing plans will go into effect at the start of the new year. Meter fees will be raised to $1 an hour in the outer boroughs, and $2.50 to $3 per hour generally below 86th St. in Manhattan. The city last increased meter rates to 75 cents an hour in 2009, up from the 50-cent rate set in 1992. But it isn't just folks driving into the city who are pissed off about the price hikes. "Motorists are under unbelievable attack," he said. "God forbid you have a car in this city. How much more do we absolutely slaughter them? With traffic agents doling out $115 tickets and inspectors handing out fines for even the smallest violation, how is a small business supposed to survive in New York City?" said Councilman James Vacca of the Bronx.

The city is facing a $3.3 billion budget gap for the 2012 fiscal year; they're already begun needling people for the $700 million they're owed in unpaid parking tickets, and they hope the new parking plan will raise $2.4 million by June 30, then $13.8 million in successive fiscal years. So unless you're thinking about becoming a meter maid, you're going to have to get creative to avoid the new parking costs. Thankfully, just as the Light side of the Force needs the Dark side to balance itself out, so too will there always be people coming up with ways to avoid paying for parking.

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By Ben Yakas in News on December 8, 2010 5:00 PM

Comments [rss]

uptownBonnie

When did the city start to allow on the street parking? In the sixties?
At some point somebody decided the 90% of us who don't drive should subsidize those that do.
Do away with socialized parking, I say.

mushr00m

This is what you get when you kill congestion pricing. Congestion parking. NICE!

Johnny Toughguy

Awww that poor Acura owner. How will he stay warm this winter when he has to walk two blocks from his condo to pick up a mocha latte instead of drive?! Screw you Bloomberg you have no sympathy for the common man! Next thing you know he'll be giving people tickets for running over the elderly in crosswalks!

charshiu

If you had a lemonade stand and had a line around the block, wouldn't you raise the price on your cup of lemonade? There's way too much traffic in the city and people looking for parking spots, so higher prices would cut down on the congestion. For the record, I was raised in Queens and we didn't have a car.

bonu$baby

hahaha people. See above story about the NYS pension gap of $150 BILLION. Get ready to be taxed up the a$s.

glennQNYC

Daily commuters aren’t using metered parking. I suspect the vast majority of metered parking is used by people who need to park for an hour or two while they run to a business meeting, or pick something up at a cafe or small store. This will end up hurting the city as people avoid Manhattan as much as possible. In the end, it is the small, local business that get the shaft.

Erk

"need to run into this store and grab something real quick..." **doublepark

CR

I'm curious about what kinds of local business this would hurt.

schadenfreudian mensch

Businesses that involves trannies and prostitutes. The johns will be unfairly displaced. Come on now, won't someone think of their well-being?

Stevennnn

Here comes the comments where a car is not needed in New York City. Only if the transplants and hipsters look out of Manhattan or Brooklyn...

nicemarmot

I feel really bad for that guy with the Acura. Clearly that parking rate raise is really going to break the bank. I mean, how's he supposed to afford his luxury car with parking this expensive?

fuboy

Way to go Mike! Now we're .39% closer to our goal of closing that budget gap!

So, what are your plans to take care of the other 99.31%?

luke*

You're right. This increase is not nearly large enough, and they should also toll the East River crossings. I am amazed at how easy it is to park for free in NYC compared to other cities.

Cry me a river about "having to drive." If you actually do have to drive, then at some point you have to be held accountable for your life decision to have selected to work at such a location. Why should I suffer because of it? I've had some long commutes but as the world does not revolve around me I sucked it up and didn't ask anyone to jerk me off by subsidizing my already subsidized trips more heavily. The problem isn't that you'll have to pay a toll or pay more for parking. It is that our government planning is ineffectual at providing jobs to people within a reasonable distance of where they live.

PS, you guys really got me with the "Acura TL owner Robert Salkey" thing. Thanks for the laugh.

Aunt_Bike

Let the drivers pay what the private sector charges them for parking. That will teach them the value of all that cheap parking that lines so many streets.

Frankly, $2.50 to $3.00 an hour doesn't sound so outrageous to me.