So the economy is still faltering, the city and state can't get their budgets together, money is tight all over. But here comes a bit of good news from...wait, what?...the Philadelphia Parking Authority? Those ogres who televise their constant stalking of city streets, their search for cars to ticket and tow?
Read on:
Planned July 1st Center City Meter
Rate Increase Will Not Take Effect
Meter parking rates in some Center City districts will be reduced.
Philadelphia Parking Authority Executive Director Vince Fenerty today announced that a planned increase in parking meter rates scheduled to take effect today, July 1st, will not be implemented at this time.
According to Fenerty, “rates that were scheduled to increase to $3 dollars per hour in the core of Center City Philadelphia (4th to 20th, Arch to Locust Streets) will remain at $2 per hour.”
"The most recent parking surveys confirmed that the rate adjustments implemented in January have achieved the goal of creating more parking opportunities. As a result, we do not believe it is necessary to implement the second phase of the approved rate adjustment at this time."
"Similarly, the parking vacancies in the fringe area of Center City (Spring Garden to Bainbridge Streets, between the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, except those blocks in the core), are now higher than we anticipated. In order to achieve the proper balance we will lower the hourly rate in the areas of lowest demand to $1.50 per hour."
"Affordable, convenient parking is fundamental to the economic vitality of Center City. We will continue to monitor the available parking to be sure we are setting rates that encourage people to come to Center City while insuring sufficient available parking to make that trip convenient. Rate adjustments will be made as needed to maintain that balance,” Fenerty said.
The PPA will also begin installing new multi-space meter kiosks beginning today. In addition to accepting coins and smart cards, they will also accept dollar bills, credit cards.
Fenerty said, "each of these steps are being taken to make it easier to take advantage of the many attractions in Center City. Other steps that are part of an improved access and mobility plan will be announced in the next few weeks."
Posted by Chris Brennan @ 8:39 AM
Permalink |
35 comments
Thanks God. Street parking is already expensive enough.
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Fenerty is blowing hot air.more and more people are fed up and are NOT coming into center city. they got just what they wanted..Empty parking spaces and no cars....Great for business..Now what, you have lost customers that will never return.. GREAT JOB.
They got what they wanted...Less cars, less business..Great Job
"Mission accomplished" - seems I heard that one before...
I'm glad you all stopped driving to my city. More people have been taking the train and seem quite happy, and my business has been booming. I don't know if the rest of you posters have been to Center City lately, but we're doing just fine without you and your whining.
well, they also eat up all the money in salaries and fine peopel via mail that can't fight the tickets. ruthless is the correct word.
It was idiotic for Rina Cutler to announce she wanted to reduce congestion in Center City in the first place. It was misguided to raise parking rates + fines in the middle of the worst economic crisis since The Great Depression. Its unbelievable the misgovernization of Philadlephia civic leadership over the years. You dont rock the boat during a worldwide economic tidal wave.
It was correct to raise the rates in the first place. It was also correct to stop the additional planned increase based on empirical data.
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This scenario reminds me of the $4 gas scenario last summer. Price of oil gets outrageously high, price comes down, public is still getting gouged at $2.75/gallon, but goes along, because hey, at least we're not paying $4/gallon.
No different here. PPA knows the public will not be happy that the price of meters is doubling. So, why not announce that the meters will increase AGAIN from $2 to $3? Then, when the PPA decides not to do that, it looks like good public relations even though the public is still getting hosed.
Textbook bait and switch, well done PPA.
Now if only they would stop prohibiting parking near the Reading Terminal Market every other weekend. I'm sure that's not helping the business of the market and I have complained to merchants about it and asked them to take the message to the city. Discourage people from coming into the city to spend money and watch the economy get worse.
Follow the rules and you want get ticketed. I agree the PPA looks ridiculous at times, but you people complaining about boots and tickets that you earned is even more ridiculous.
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PPA is the best run organization in the city. I don't like them, but they are effective and aggressive. Believe it or not, their present work mode is a product of the Street administration. They get the job done and raise serious dollars.
I'm in the mood for a grilled cheese.
i love how they try to use this to pat themselves on the back. "since you've all been good boys and girls, we WON'T raise the already astronomical parking rate. how's that sound?"
flyers2001 sound like a stupid undereducated nitwit who probably works for the PPA. Did youever notice the quality of people that work for the PPA? Put 'em all together and you have a side show traveling circus, complete with fat, illiterate, hairy people who feel like they're moving up in the world because they don't work at Wendy's anymore.
Now let's get rid of the "authorized parking only" around City Hall (all clerks and aides to City Council and other elected officials), These cars are used for cummuting, not City business. Install meters in these spaces and increase City revenue.
if you take the time to defend the efforts of the PPA, you are CLUELESS!!! The money they steal goes to NOTHING but insiders pockets!
Are people really stating that the PPA is efficient & effective? That got a good rise out of me. Their employees are (almost) as incompetent as City Hall's. I live in this city and relunctantly park on the streets. These idiots waste my time & enegry issuing unwarranted tix on a regular basis. I've built time in to my schedule to deal with these humps.
sometimesilie - does your friend from south philly have a parking permit for his neighborhood? To get one, you need to have your car registered and insured at that address, which is something many renters neglect to do. If he had a permit, he wouldn't have gotten tickets.
I agree with ryno4. We would be much bette off if PPA ran the entire city. They are by far the most efficient operation in the city. Follow the rules and you won't get a ticket. Park your car in a garage or take public transportation. The less cars on the road, the better. For those of you reporting economic doom and gloom, get out and see what's going on. I'm out multiple nights a week, the restaurants are packed and there are plenty of people spending a lot of money.
wow first time I can remember that Democrat Politicians haven't tried to take more money from the middle class. Remember they care about you and me.
oldcityjoe - you're absolutely right. The ones complaining about the economy are the ones not intelligent enough to read a parking sign and avoid a ticket. Guess what - you got a ticket? Then you deserved it. If you are given a ticket which you legitmately did not deserve, then you'll get out of it, no need to scream and yell. All the ranting and raving people do yelling at PPA shows pure ignorance.
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This simply means the PPA will have to scam even more tickets to cover what they would of gained by the rate hike.
While PPA is not perfect, from my experience I agree with flyers2001.
NE 2 yunk is either new to Philly or he works for the PPA....LOL....what a putz. Sure you can get out of a ticket if you want to take a day off from work and wait 7 hours to get out of a $30 ticket or whatever the ticket amount was for. Who is going to do that for a ticket that is less than $50......virtually no one. They make the process extrememly hard so less people will contest the ticket....furthering their scam.
I agree with Flyers. I live in CC and own a car with a valid parking permit. I've gotten tickets on occasion for being parked illegally. Duh. I don't blame that on the PPA. They're just doing their jobs. Follow the rules & you'll be ticket-free.
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Thank you God!!
The crime of NOT paying a parking ticket pales in comparison to the crime of what happens to that money once you do pay it.
Who is posting these comments? PPA paid bloggers? The PPA is totally owned and operated by PRWT a for profit business that has the highest parking violations fees in the nation.... the own LA's also...
see the link http://money.cnn.com/2004/05/03/news/parkingfinesup/index.htm .... We as well as other jurisdictions asked for this by causing federal investigations into parking authority misconduct years ago.... Our city benefits very, very little from this revenue stream.... Do some research... you have to dig to get to the real truth.... Googles top answers are skewed all the time now..... Stop being lazy and accepting information as absolute truth.... WAKE UP!!!
The PPA constantly, when expanding their "territory" neglect to inform residents that signs are going to be posted and permits will be required... How does one apply for a permit in your own neighborhood that has never been zoned before... Time machine ? Get real , I have on three occasions been ticketed on a weekend where a new sign went up with no notice. When I parked on Friday it was un-zoned, I was ticketed on Sat. and won in court by the next month.... But time is precious... Where am I compensated for their lack of planning.. When the bank makes a mistake with your money, federal banking laws state that the consumer has a right to charge a fee to the bank for their mistake..(most people don't know this) But not a badly run parking Authority..... Things will get worse before they get better.... Oh and BTW (FACT) if 1 inch of your car protrudes past a parking sign you are not legally parked and can be ticketed..... first and last spaces on the block..... Happy summer to all!
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