Petition Signing this coming Wednesday at Somerville Theatre

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

This coming Wednesday, June 3rd from 6:30-8:30pm I will be at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square (hey, someone may not know where it is..) collecting signatures in the lobby for a petition against the parking meter hour extension. Currently, the theatre is also collecting signatures at the box office as well. They're providing me a table in the lobby, so please, come on by and say hello! We need at least 50 registered voter signatures, but I am sure that more would make an impression.

Please note, this is ONLY a petition against the meter hours extension in items 9-12. I have always lived on a permitted street in Somerville, and paid far more at meters in other places, so the two other major changes are not as large an issue for me. Hurting businesses that are already suffering in an economic downtown just to scrape together a few more dollars on TOP of doubling parking rates? I have issue with. If you are unhappy about the permitting of streets, or any other part of the new regulations, I encourage you to draft a petition yourself, and organize. I'll happily sign it. It took me all of a half hour to write one up, get in touch with the ST, and set up times to be present and collect signatures.

If you are interested in a copy of the petition to collect signatures yourself, and return to me, or the city, just ask!

I hope to see you there!



Petition

On street parking meters are frequently used by visitors to Somerville who are attending concerts and movies, dining, and shopping. By extending the hours of our on street parking to 8 in all of Somerville except Magoun and Davis Sq. and 10pm in Magoun and Davis Sq., as detailed in items 9, 10, 11, and 12 of the provided excerpt from the commission's agenda, local businesses will lose patrons who cannot afford a ticket while watching a movie, and/or enjoying a leisurely dinner. In a time when the economy has done more than enough to discourage customers to local businesses, they should not be further discouraged by difficult parking time maximums and unreasonable parking meter times. The standard times for Parking Meters to be enforced are 8am-6pm for street meters, and 8am to 8pm for parking lots we request that you keep Somerville's parking meters enforced only at these times, and help, not hinder, our local businesses in their success.


We the undersigned registered voters of Somerville, Massachusetts oppose the extension of Parking Meter hours to 8pm and 10pm, and respectfully request that these hours stay as 8am-6pm for street meters and 8am-8pm for parking lots.

Comments

[ron_newman]

I am concerned that extending resident permit parking to all streets will hurt businesses in areas other than Davis Square, which depend on nearby street parking for their customers and employees. The existing system of having residents petition street-by-street seems to work well, and I don't see a reason to change it.

I'll still sign any petition regarding any of the changes, on the simple grounds that democratic decision-making process has not been followed.

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

Ron, The petition that the Theatre has drafted (and I may end up using if it is more eloquent and well drafted than mine) may cover those changes as well. That said, most people do fine using on street Meter (said permit the first time) parking for their customers during the day when a shop visit is being done, and I would assume (though that always gets you in trouble!) that many employees, etc who need longer stretches of time either live locally or take public transportation so that spaces are left open for customers. That said, you're welcome to draft a petition yourself towards the changes you disagree with, a petition on any point will call a hearing on the entire thing in any case.

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

Right there with you. Also, I'm really afraid for places not really near the squares, like Highland Kitchen for example

I'll be sure to go to the theatre and sign up