Parking task force recommendations

[georgy.livejournal.com]

 As linked to in Rebekah Gewirtz's newsletter:

http://www.somervillema.gov/NewsDetail.cfm?instance_id=1481

Comments

[tt02144.livejournal.com]

In reference to the comment that these regulations had to balance several things, including the city's need for revenue. In my opinion, parking restrictions should NOT be to provide revenue to the city. If that's the case, then every time the city needs money, they will make parking more difficult to enhance revenue. They will also ticket much more aggressively (as has been happening lately). Parking restrictions should be to enhance the quality of life of the residents, and to help businesses to attract customers, and that's it. I'm sick to death of paying more money every year for the privilege of parking a car on a city street which I have already supported through higher and higher taxes.

taxes

[cos]

Yup, they're using parking to substitute for taxes, and it's really frustrating, especially since their initial answers were trying to avoid saying that.

Partly, though, Somerville is sufferring from the fact that the state isn't taxing enough, because the state is afraid to raise any sensible taxes. So one thing we can do, in addition to yelling at Somerville for its really bad parking plans (which we should keep doing), is calling our legislators to beg for higher income and gas taxes. Fortunately some of Somerville's delegation have been leaders in the state house in trying to make that happen, so they deserve our thanks. We can also try to get our friends in other parts of the state to make those calls.