Tom Champion tries to justify parking changes

[ron_newman]

The Somerville Journal asked Tom Champion some questions about the new parking regulations, which were enacted without advance notice or democratic process by an unelected body, and are set to go into effect on August 1st.

Read the answers here:
Start saving: Parking meter rates and hours to increase, permit parking to expand citywide

(thanks to: Somerville Journal Blog)

(See also: very long DSLJ discussion from earlier this week
and Somerviile Chamber of Commerce's description of the changes)

Comments

[mzrowan.livejournal.com]

Wow! Is it me, or did Champion not actually answer most of those questions? He just spouted a stock response. No answer to the issue of mass transportation, no answer to how this decision was reached other than "we're doing this because these other people said it's a good idea". That's not a justification!

And who are the Financial Advisory Committee? Are they just another part of the Somerville city bureaucracy?

[mzrowan.livejournal.com]

Ah, okay, answered my own question (http://somervillenews.typepad.com/the_somerville_news/2009/05/financial-advisory-committee-delivers-recommendations-on-actions-needed-to-ensure-somervilles-long-term-financial-sustainabi.html). Figured I'd post the link in case anyone else wants to know who's responsible for this.

[ron_newman]

Hmm. It says there is a representative from the Chamber of Commerce, but either he got outvoted or he isn't properly representing his constituency.

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

Stock responses are what PR people are good for, and that's about it. It was pretty obnoxious, and I, too, would like to actually see -data- about these supposed studies that prove this is a super-keen useful idea.