(17th in a series of posts on parking)
Questions for the BPA suggested by audience responses at the Sept 20, 2018, public meeting. These are some of the questions the Mayor might want answered as he decides about deciding. The Gadfly welcomes comments and responses from BPA/Desman and others. And if BPA/Desman would like to make a comprehensive response, the Gadfly would publish it separately.
When will the “final” Desman report be available online, and can some print copies be made available for residents?
Is TIF funding possible to underwrite the costs of garages?
Was any consideration given to privatization?
How was the $1.50 amount arrived at? Since it’s well over the rate of inflation since 2012.
Could we consider cost-cutting and thereby reduce the revenue increase sought?
Why not raise garage rates for larger users (St. Luke’s, Lehigh), whom we are basically subsidizing, right now in conjunction with this proposal?
What impact did the increase to $1/hr in 2012 have on small businesses?
What was the criteria for choosing the peer cities to get data from?
What do studies of visitors and foot traffic, etc., of other cities that increased their rates show?
Are there studies of the specific effects of rate increases?
How did you survey the “man on the street”? Is there a report of findings?
Have you considered the danger of setting rates so high that people don’t come?
How did you survey small business owners? Is there a report of their responses?
There are specific goals for the rate increase. How would you rank generating income among them?
How does one know “industry standards” (often referred to as a point of reference)? Are they printed somewhere?
Were any “out-of-the-box” ideas considered, if only to be rejected? If so, what were they?
Have you considered free time to bring people in?
Have you considered using the smart meters to do variable rate pricing, flexible rates, zone rates?
Have you considered “dynamic pricing,” changing rates by area and time of day?
Is the site of the proposed Polk St garage within the CBD? Is it the responsibility of the City or the developer?
Of total spots available for transient use in the New St garage, what % are occupied on a daily basis?
Is there any reason to have meters till 9pm in areas where there are little or no business and in residential areas?
Were BPA Board members encouraged (expected?) to come to the public meetings in April and now?
Will you be discussing the input to and questions about this rate increase recommendation with the Board? How will you do that? When? How and to whom will you report the results of that discussion?
What are the next steps in this process? Discussion with the Board? Discussion with the Mayor? Another public meeting? Or are you done?
Instead of looking to penalize the local residents with increased meter rates, Why doesn’t someone in the BPA or better yet their paid consultants look into reducing the cost of building all of the supposedly needed new garages. I brought this up during the New Street debacle and council laughed. There are many cities that use this new technology to cut costs. Check out a company called More Park System. http://morepark.com/
Steve Melnick