Records show Ann Arbor DDA collected $35K last year from people paying to park downtown after hours
A car pulls into an on-street metered space on Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor after 6 p.m. on Wednesday near one of the Downtown Development Authority's e-pay stations. The stations can be reprogrammed to not accept money after 6 p.m. when parking is free, but DDA officials don't think that's worth doing.
Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com
That averages out to $115 per day or $2,871 per month in payments from people who didn't need to pay because on-street parking was supposed to be free at the time they arrived, according to records released by the DDA at a meeting of its Operations Committee on Thursday.
The figures provide only a snapshot of the issue. They don't include money fed after hours into the old-style parking meters, which still are prevalent in some areas of downtown.
The Ann Arbor DDA Operations Committee on Thursday received a financial report for the fiscal year that ended June 30, showing parking revenues came in slightly higher than budgeted at nearly $17.2 million.
Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com
"Every kiosk and meter has the enforcement hours right on them," Gunn said. "Not our fault if people put money in."
Other DDA officials said they didn't think $35,000 was a large enough sum to worry about, but they're willing to look at the issue further.
"I think all the meters and e-park stations clearly say that enforcement stops at 6 p.m., so I don't know if there's a whole lot more we can do than we've already done. We'll certainly look at it," said DDA Treasurer Roger Hewitt, who also hinted at a future expansion of enforcement hours.
Joe Morehouse, the DDA's deputy director, said reprogramming the machines and adding a home screen informing people of the hours might just slow down the process for people trying to pay.
The Operations Committee on Thursday received a financial report for the fiscal year that ended June 30, showing parking revenues came in slightly higher than budgeted at nearly $17.2 million. That left the parking fund with a $2 million surplus, as expenses came in at $15.2 million.
The DDA saw a 2 percent increase in the number of hourly patrons, ticking up to 2.23 million, while revenues were up 12 percent from the $15.2 million collected the year before.
Parking meters were the biggest revenue generator at $3.4 million, followed by the Fourth and William garage ($2.7 million), Maynard ($2.5 million), Ann Ashley ($1.8 million), Liberty Square ($1.6 million), Forest Avenue ($1.5 million), and Fourth and Washington ($938,680).
Tax increment financing revenues channeled to the DDA totaled about $3.7 million for the year, slightly above projections. The TIF fund still showed a deficit of $1.4 million for the year, while the parking maintenance fund showed a deficit of $226,756.
Digital Payment Technologies, the Canadian company that makes the e-pay stations used in Ann Arbor, said its machines are able to be programmed to display a customized welcome screen message stating just about anything, including the hours of operation. They also can be programmed so they won't accept money at all during certain hours.
Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com
The DDA collected $213,250 last year. The numbers have steadily grown just about every year since 2001 when the DDA brought in less than half the revenue it's getting now.
The new Library Lane parking garage, which opened just in time for Art Fair, accounted for nearly $33,000 — or 11 percent — of the parking revenue from this year's festival.
A detailed breakdown of the Art Fair parking revenues showed 69 percent of people chose to pay with cash while 31 percent paid with credit card.
Hewitt used Thursday's meeting to call for a retreat to be held in either late September or early October to discuss the future of the DDA's parking system.
Now that DDA officials have their $50 million underground parking garage project behind them, he said, it make sense to turn attention to demand management. He said he wants to work out a strategy for getting people in and out of downtown for the next 10 to 20 years.
"The revenue in the parking system is very encouraging," he said. "Clearly with these numbers there is increasing demand, even with the new structure.
"We want to get as many people into the parking system as we can," he added. If demand is going to continue to increase, he said, it's necessary the DDA maximize usage of the system.
The DDA has talked about ways it can better manage downtown parking by introducing a tiered rate structure, making it more expensive to park in high-demand areas and less expensive in other areas. It also has talked about extending enforcement hours later into the evening.
"I don't think we want a system so complex it confuses customers, but clearly pricing influences behavior," Hewitt said.
At some point, Hewitt added, the DDA is going to run out of street space to bring people downtown, let alone money and locations to build new underground parking garages. He said the new Library Garage likely will be the last one built for at least the next several years.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.
Comments
nickcarraweigh
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 11:30 p.m.
Why on earth do some people consider the DDA arrogant and out of touch?
tntnewport
Sun, Sep 2, 2012 : 3:10 p.m.
If you didn't program your meters from the start not to acept money after hours, you are nothing more than a thief cashing in. Enjoy your money,and by all means, don't reprogram your meters.
Justin
Tue, Sep 11, 2012 : 4:42 p.m.
accept* money, and* (You forgot the space) re-program* One day you might be "OK" at spelling
Justin
Sat, Sep 1, 2012 : 5:13 p.m.
When all the visitors to Ann Arbor don't know how to read signs that say "one way" or "DO NOT ENTER", do you really expect them to know what it means to say "Hours of Operation 8AM-6PM" and expect them to figure out they don't have to pay after 6PM? I don't. This city will have so many people in it for years to come that don't know what to do, whether it be driving, paying, parking, reading, etc. People that want to pay money for parking for comfort, will pay for comfort. If you shut off the machines at 6PM, people will kick them, and break them, until they have to be replaced (which cost more than not shutting the machines off) This city if full of too many people that don't know how to read, and it will only get worse. Don't blame the DDA for this issue, blame the people that INSIST on paying anyways. Many people waste more money on car repairs because of how bad the roads are downtown than they do on parking. Let's start focusing on that and try to fix the roads first....That would make me happy!
Geez
Sat, Sep 1, 2012 : 3:01 p.m.
These payments that are quoted are electronic payments. Simply refund the transactions. Obviously the "clearly marked" meters are not that clearly marked if you were able to scam $35000 from patrons. The DDA needs a course on ETHICS. The city government cannot profit from these mistakes and the money is not theirs to keep. My suggestion to patrons would be to call your credit card companies and have your downtown parking charges reversed.
Justin
Sat, Sep 1, 2012 : 5:15 p.m.
Wrong. they are "Electronic Machines". They are not only limited to Credit Card transactions. Way to not know what you're talking about before you started talking... You can also pay with Coin At the Electronic Machine's... Jus' Sayin...
dianefw07
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 6:24 p.m.
No where on the old meters does it have the hours of operation. At least put the hours on those. They have whether it is two or three hour parking, but not the hours of operation.
Justin
Sat, Sep 1, 2012 : 5:08 p.m.
um yea, it definitely has the hours. right inside the glass, below where your time flashes....it says clearly the rate and also the hours of operation.
javajolt1
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 5:58 p.m.
$35K isn't chopped liver. Since the DDA has this information I suspect they're going to discuss going all the way and collect parking fees 24/7/365. It's coming. ....that should add up to another quarter million bucks. Then the City will take the DDA funds for art.
snapshot
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 5:05 p.m.
Wait...I thought the hours were extended to 8pm?
Justin
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 1:20 p.m.
I agree with Justin. If people want to pay, they are going to pay. You have to also think, these after hour deposits/over pays are probably also including holidays, Sundays, and any other time that isn't a "Normal" day from 8am-6pm. I'm sure there were a lot of people down town for the 4th of July parade that threw number's for a whirl.
snapshot
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 5:19 a.m.
Let's not forget the over $400,000 dollars in captured improvement taxes that the DDA collected and failed to redistribute to the rightfull recipients due to their incompetant accounting. they kept that money for themselves also. they installed a metering system that purposely prevents timne left on a meter being disclosed, why would they care about overcharging unaware folks for parking. They have cojmplete autonomy and are not "accountable" to the electorate and our city council members gave that power to them. The DDA needs to go away and their powers put back on the table of city council members and the mayor.
Brad
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : noon
Just not the city council members and mayor we have now.
Tom Wieder
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 3:53 a.m.
Meant to type "REDUCING parking rates" above. A couple of larger points. All of the elected officials in A2 (with the exception of Jane Lumm) are various degrees of liberal Democrat, like me. But there are reasons why Steve Rapundalo and Tony Derezinski were defeated, Sumi won the 1st Ward, and Margie Teall, a 5-term incumbent, came within 18 votes of being ousted. It's a feeling among many Ann Arborites that those in power aren't listening, or don't care. The DDA is a prime symbol of this to many. It's time for it to go. The downtown should be nurtured, but not by a body with a segregated pot of money and an unelected Board. A2 voters, if Council won't do this, start a petition drive to repeal the DDA ordinance or eliminate it by Charter amendment.
Tom Wieder
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 2:47 a.m.
I don't know which is worse, the unbridled arrogance of DDA defenders Leah Gunn, Roger Hewitt, et al, or the attitude of some of the commenters, all of whom together think it's OK for the DDA to "take" or "accept" money from people who paid it by mistake and received absoutely nothing in return. And why is it okay to pocket these thousands of dollars? Because it isn't "our fault" say the DDA spokespersons, or because the people who paid are "ignorant" or "stupid" or didn't read a sticker on a machine. Where is any sense of basic decency, honesty, fairness, compassion, kindness or hospitality? Good people do not pocket other people's money on these grounds, especially when there is a simple way not to. Just program the kiosks to shut down, or not accept money, when parking is free. That's what good, honest, humane, fair people would do; that's what a good city government should do. Is there any reason, other than greed or a sense of entitlement, not to do this? And if that's too much trouble, how about resucing parking rates to offset the overpayments, or give it to charity?
1bit
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 10:45 a.m.
Bravo!
ribs1
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 3:06 a.m.
There is no good reason for the DDA to steal peoples money. This is immoral and should be illegal. If a cashier hands you back too much change you don't pocket the money and say he is stupid. You kindly give the extra money back. Taking advantage of people who have miscalculated misread or didn't know the parking hours is wrong.
ribs1
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 2:03 a.m.
Look, All we need is a couple of cool hand lukes and a few pipe cutters and problem solved. I wish all the local taggers could be recruited to do something more productive like cutting the heads off parking meters.
Mick52
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 1:42 a.m.
All these electronic pay stations and the meters should be thrown out and regular meters put back.I think it is grossly unfair for the city to make people pay for time that may still be paid for the space because a driver left before their time expired. But that is not the worst thing about them. If you want to be a jerk, you can go up to the pay stations with a list of space numbers, and put a nickel in the machine for each space by buying time as if you just parked there. That negates the time paid for in those spaces and those cars could be ticketed. You can't do that on a regular meter. And if these meters did not revert to zero on the meter when someone parks in a space with time on it, it could not happen. A good reason to keep your receipt, but you are going to have to spend some time fighting it.
ribs1
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 2:08 a.m.
So, What if I am parked in space 5544 all day and someone parks in space 5545 but misreads their number and puts a dollar on my space. Does my time get erased? Is this really how these machines work?
1bit
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 12:49 a.m.
""Every kiosk and meter has the enforcement hours right on them," Gunn said. "Not our fault if people put money in."" Wow. Such blatant thievery and dishonesty. It is unethical to say the least, but Ms. Gunn's sense of entitlement to parking revenues befits a "let them eat cake" mentality. I can't vote Ms. Gunn out of office but her comments are reprehensible and the mayor should actually show a spine and state whether he will stand for such nonsense. After all, he appointed these people. Ethics is what you do when no one else is looking. The DDA has already failed here. Now we are looking and they still don't give a care.
GoNavy
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 11:59 p.m.
Doing the math, that amounts to a total of $9.93 per hour of non-operation. Sounds like a serious epidemic to me: $35,000/252 business days per year/14 hours (6 PM to 8 AM) of non-operation = $9.92/hr I wouldn't doubt it if more dollars per hour in terms of gasoline were wasted waiting at crosswalks for our city's inane pedestrian crosswalk laws.
Justin
Sat, Sep 1, 2012 : 5:17 p.m.
well, Brad. Glad you were able to figure that out! But GoNavy is right. People burn money on way more pointless things than parking... Let's put up signals for pedestrians to have to stop and wait on cars. Then they aren't as likely to get run over by somebody from out of town that doesn't know how to drive, or what "One Way" means... lets focus more on safety.....
Brad
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 11:59 a.m.
You don't need to do any math. It's $35,000 no matter which superfluous dimensions you choose to attach to it.
Mike
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 10:09 p.m.
That's fantastic!!!!!!!!!! Ripping off unwarry citizens who are trained to feed the meters and more worried about the cost of the ticket.............priceless................
Lewanster
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 9:56 p.m.
They are also making money from the person who pulls into the space and feeds the meter not knowing that there is actually time left on the space. I always go to the "add more time" prompt in the busier areas, because I don't like to pay the full amount if there is still parking minutes left. At least on the old style meters you could easily see if any leftover time was available. And yes...I park a lot in Ann Arbor, and many machines have limits to how much time you have to use if you are using a credit card, and there are machines that do not give change. The only time the "add more time" does not seem to work is if someone paid for 2 hours, but left after say 15 min. There is actually 1 hr 45 min left on meter, but you cannot access the add more time to see if there is any time left because there is a 2 hour limit, so you can't add more time...thus you can't see if there is any time left. If anyone knows a way around this, I would be interested in hearing about it.
Richard Carter
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 7:51 p.m.
Last I knew (within a year or so), at U of M's pay lots, you need to have the number on your receipt to see or add more time for a space. Tricky.
Sandy Castle
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 2:45 p.m.
I had no idea you could find out there was time left on the spot! Thank you for your post ;o).
Brad
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 9:40 p.m.
This article could really benefit from some photos showing how the operating hours are posted on both the e-pays and regular meters.
Mick52
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 1:44 a.m.
It's in the fine print.
Richard Carter
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 9:30 p.m.
While it would be all nice if the meters didn't accept money after hours, those old-fashioned ones that the electronic ones replaced only very recently always accepted money 24x7. Didn't anyone else learn for their entire lives to look at the hours of operation on a parking meter? The only likely difference is that it would have been more difficult to figure out how many people were ignoring the hours of operation sign and feeding them regardless.
A2.com.user
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 9:06 p.m.
It's said that the cashier booths are being pulled from some of the parking structures......and pay machines are being put in to speed-up cars exiting the structures......but the customers often fumble with tickets and credit cards when using the pay machine exit-validators.....causing back-ups. Why weren't the exit-validators inside the cashier booths simply reprogrammed/or replaced..... to accept pay machine tickets?......so that parkers exiting could simply hand their parking tickets to the cashiers?.....and the cashiers could process the tickets quickly....since the cashiers already know how the tickets/credit cards go into the validators.....and they can do this quickly and efficiently. This pay-machine/cashier-booth validator method WOULD have sped-up parking flow dramatically.....and required half the equipment and half the maintenance that all the outside exit-validators will likely require. Just re-program booth validators........no need to remove booths/displace cashiers from their jobs. Was this actually a customer service move?.....or a greed move?
music to my ear
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 8:58 p.m.
were they maybe texting while putting money in the meter was not paying attention just paying money
Billy Bob Schwartz
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 8:55 p.m.
Selfish arrogance. Try to do the right thing.
A2.com.user
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 8:41 p.m.
The DDA seems to be gung-ho on pay machines now.....apparently our democratically elected City Council has handed all responsibility with city money/funds/decision-making over to the DDA ....to do whatever they want. Parking in downtown Ann Arbor seems to be in the process of becoming dehumanized....with displacement of workers in favor of machines. It seem that greed is getting the upper-hand over good service/respect for people/workers/ the public.....did we elect the DDA?.....I don't remember voting them into office.
kraiford12
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 8:37 p.m.
Do I think it would be "nice" if the meters did not take your money after required hours? ...sure! Do I also feel people should take some accountability in reading the machine in which they are putting their earned money into? ...you bet! That being said, with the reaction comment from the DDA as written in this article, it puts just one more bad taste in the mouths of people. Specifically those who are already on the fence on if down town A2 is a welcoming place to visit.
JRW
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 8:32 p.m.
"Other DDA officials said they didn't think $35,000 was a large enough sum to worry about, but they're willing to look at the issue further." As long as it's not out of their pockets, they don't give a d$mn. Get rid of the DDA and all the rest of the scammers running downtown A2. It's totally dishonest not to make the 6 pm free parking more prominent.
Mick52
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 1:46 a.m.
You think if it were a $35k deficit they would feel the same way about the amount?
A2.com.user
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 8:32 p.m.
If you put a $5.00 bill into the Farmer's Market pay station.....even if your only going to stay for 15 minutes.......I'm told that the machine will not give you back change for the $5.00 bill....you just have to pay for 5.00 worth of parking. I've been told that other pay stations also do this....but I don't park downtown much. Can anyone out there clarify this?
JRW
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 8:33 p.m.
If that is the case, then there needs to be a sign that state clearly that the machines do not give change for $5.00 bills. Otherwise, it's theft.
mr_annarbor
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 8:17 p.m.
It's this kind of thinking by DDA officials that turn people against them. Just think how much more the good PR would be worth if they programmed those parking machines not to take money after 6pm. Not to do so is just plain stupid.
A2comments
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 7:45 p.m.
It shows the lack of commonsense that some have when they don't try to figure out the hours of meter operation when they park somewhere. Beyond having a tag faded beyond reability, I can say that I've never had that problem anywhere. Further, if I arrive at a meter at 5:50 or 5:55, I'll stay by the car until 6:00 to not pay out of principal. Scary world we live in where people can't figure things out like this themselves. That said, if the DDA KNOWINGLY put this system in place and didn't pick the "don't charge them off-hours" option, assuming it was little or no cost, that's just wrong.
Mick52
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 1:56 a.m.
I reckon that at 5:50, and likely much earlier, the officers who write the tickets are back at the station turning in their equipment. I have always wondered how early you are safe. They can only pass by a meter so many times in the course of the day and if they check a meter at 4 pm or so, they may not make it back by 6. Unless they have a large number of ticket writers out there. Which I doubt.
A2comments
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 8:02 p.m.
Principle...
Fordie
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 7:53 p.m.
At 5:50 I just leave the car. The parking meters are really just anti-ticket insurance, right?
Craig Warburton
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 7:38 p.m.
Doesn't this smell just a bit like keeping "too much change" when a cashier makes a mistake? When I have witnessed that exact scenario, at the grocery store or where ever, the thought always comes to mind how dishonest the individual is that knowing keeps it. They are taking in millions and incapable of preventing people from paying needlessly after hours? It would seem a very low cost fix to reprogram for acceptance only when open for business. I really thought the abusive parking attitudes in this town had ceased.
ribs1
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 2:01 a.m.
Craig, You put it the best. If you buy a coke at the gas station and hand the clerk a $20 he doesn't just keep the money. it is his responsibility to make the correct change. This is just basic human decency. You can't just take peoples money.
a2grateful
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 7:38 p.m.
"Ha ha," laughs the DDA. "Theived ya!" (Rhymes with Hieftje) Why would we expect anything different?
sirotan
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 7:31 p.m.
Three easy steps to using a parking meter anywhere at any time: 1) Check the parking enforcement hours on the parking meter 2) Check to see what the time limits are for parking 3) Check the current time, maybe with your watch or cell phone Then, put in the appropriate amount of money, or don't. (Is this really that difficult?)
LDR
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 7:28 p.m.
This $35, 000 puts a very specific monetary value to the amount of anxiety that people feel about parking in downtown. I personally "know" the correct hours of operation, but still find myself feeding money into the meters out of sheer nervousness that, if I unintentionally get it wrong (either the hours or the location) I will return to either a parking ticket, or far worse, no car at all because it has been towed off!! As the artlice previously published this week on predative towing illustrated, as well as this outright immmoral fleecing of the public for profit, the anger and uncertainess about the City's parking rates, times, and towing policies exists at a very significant level -- $35,000 worth. As an individual, losing a handful of change everytime I park downtown in evening (even though I feel stupid doing it), gives me a small sene of security that my car will actually be there when I return. For shame City and DDA. For shame.
Mick52
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 1:58 a.m.
I do not think it is nervousness, I think people just do not know that there are time limits. People from other cities, like Royal Oak are used to feeding a meter up to 10 pm or so.
A2comments
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 7:43 p.m.
Wow, I read this and feel concerned about you. You pay for parking when you know you don't have to? Really? Please send me $10,000. You don't have to, but...
LDR
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 7:29 p.m.
sp. article, sense
say it plain
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 7:27 p.m.
The new library garage will the last underground garage built for at least the next several years lol?! Really?! I can't take any of this seriously... Did AA announce 5000 new jobs downtown recently that I missed? Did someone actually approve a new conference center too? How many spots do we need for the two new head shops on Liberty?!
OLDTIMER3
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 7:25 p.m.
Why not just charge 24hrs a day? What if I park at 7:30 and don't get back in time to either leave or put (more)money in the machine? I get a ticket .
Bubba43
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 7:16 p.m.
Wake up people. DON'T go into A2.
clownfish
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 12:23 p.m.
I go all the time. I just know how to read signs.
Mick52
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 2:01 a.m.
Absolutely. I get my hair cut there and Anneka's pays for your parking. Otherwise I have little reason to go there. I prefer restaurants in other cities and that is becoming just about the only reason to go downtown now.
HBA
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 7:16 p.m.
Of course the DDA doesn't want to re-program the meters. Why should they?! They are profiting quite freely from the extra cash--which really belongs to the taxpayers--and they are expecting to push through an extension of parking hours beyond 6:00 p.m. at some point in the future. Can someone please explain why we need a DDA at all?
jmac
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 7:09 p.m.
Well, of course the DDA thinks that reprogramming the meters to not accept $$ after 6pm "is not worth doing" because they are making money off of this scam! This is disingenuous and unethical. Shame on the DDA!
kmgeb2000
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 7:07 p.m.
If the machines can be programed to accept money only during the appropriate hours then why not program them that way? Surely the cost involved shouldn't require more the $35K. If no services are provided why collect fees?
Goober
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 9:42 p.m.
The reason this is not done is obvious - they can get money from people who are not paying full attention. If I did this, I would be in jail. To AA citizens - we will laugh, make fun of those that did not read or got duped and nothing will change. Yeah AA city leadership! Nice going!
Billy
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 6:45 p.m.
Look I'd be mad about them taking advantage of people...but it's CLEARLY marked when the paid parking hours are... They are BENEFITING from ignorant people....they are NOT taking advantage of them. NO ONE should EVER go out of their way to protect ignorance.....EVER.
Fordie
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 7:48 p.m.
I like the way you think Billy.
Always Amazed
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 6:45 p.m.
I have personally told people feeding the meter after hours that they didn't need to. The hours of operation are NOT clearly stated or in any way obvious at a glance. Akin to entrapment. Make it clear; it will stop.
Jim Osborn
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 8:13 p.m.
Every meter in every city I've used has the hours posted. Ann Arbor is no different.
A2James
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 6:31 p.m.
$35K isn't a lot? OK, I suggest that the DDA should take a $35K across the board salary reduction. In fact, such an incompetent and arrogant group of people should probably be disbanded. DDA: Doesn't Do Anything
djacks24
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 8:37 p.m.
I'll bet their opinion is different when there is a $35,000 deficit.
Jim Osborn
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 8:12 p.m.
Really? They spend, spend, spend our money. Then when they have a surplus, they still want to rais rates.
Katherine Griswold
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 6:19 p.m.
Building a new library with "conference center" facilities, including the 400-seat auditorium, will help with parking revenue.
Brad
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 6:15 p.m.
Which brings up an interesting issue. If the people paid after hours then they were not actually paying for parking, therefore that entire $35K should actually belongs to the city and taxpayers. There's no reason the DDA should get to keep it. Not a penny. Same for the past years.
Brad
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 6:07 p.m.
"it's already clearly stated that the hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday" So what? You think that makes it OK, don't you? I'd say if the machine will take your money 24/7 then the hours of *its* operation are also 24/7. Quit rationalizing.