The View From Prospect Hill

    You know you are getting older when you start talking
about inflation with "Back in the day, a nickel could
buy…"
     Let’s face it, a nickel does not buy anything these
days. And this week, a quarter has lost half its value
when you drop it in a Somerville parking meter. But
that’s just how life works. Things are bound to cost
more. And like it or not, everyone has to get used to
it. Call it growing pains as you curse under your
breath, fishing around the bottom of your purse for
twice as many quarters. But it doesn’t hurt that bad.
However, there are some flaws – a big one is who will
benefit – with the new system. Why would the city put
in new meters and higher prices if it was not going to
turn a profit? Please don’t say we have these for
show.

    One city official was quoted this week saying proceeds
would flow into the general revenue fund. Another said
there might not be more money (see story on page
3).
    If the city needs money and it has to come from
somewhere, raising the price of parking is not the
worst idea. Out of towners use the spaces and
therefore contribute to the pot. And being an urban
community, public transportation is always an option
for those who want to protest. But if the city is
going to go through the task of installing meters and
raising prices, it should be hoping for more than just
breaking even.
    But the city is planning on more money coming in –
$2,770,881 more. That is the estimated increase in
revenue from parking fines listed in the new budget.
Now granted there are tickets issued for more than
just expired meters, but an increase like this after a
revamp of the public parking system shows after the
city squares away the cost of the new meters, more
money is expected to roll in.
    Oh good, these fancy, electronic meters and shorter
parking times are going to serve a purpose. After they
pay for themselves, the city should make some money
off of them. If not, what was it thinking? It is true
the price for renting a precious parking space is now
in line with Boston. But in Somerville, we cam still
be thankful they are easier to find.
   The city should have considered raising the amount of
time people are allowed to park at a meter while they
were raising the price. Not everywhere needs four or
six hour parking, but  it would be an asset in certain
areas such as municipal lots. Officials and others may
claim turnover helps business. Its true, but sometimes
an extended stay can also do the trick. But six hours
at the meter would only cost $6. A ticket is more than
three times that. At least the city is keeping the
office open late one day a week to make it easier for
people to pay the fines.
   Does anybody else find it funny that the city decided
to extend the hours for paying tickets at the same
time as it changed the public parking system? No one
has said it, but if the city is expecting more tickets
and is kind enough to make it easier to pay the fines,
then this is a game. In that case Somerville doesn’t
need to catch up with Boston and Cambridge when it
comes to parking, it needs to grow up when it comes to
addressing community needs.