HONK!
Remember the great "HONK IN" of January 1994, when at noon everyone honked to let City Council know they weren't pleased with the idea of Paid Parking?
Well, the parking debate is heating up again as Aspen's City Council continues ratcheting up the stakes. Andy Stone, columnist for the Times graphically compared the Council's tactics to an electric collar used to train a dog.
The difference between now and the first “Paid Parking” debate are we the Citizens are not franchised by the Council. When Paid parking was first imposed it was with a plan written by citizens for each other. Objections died within a week of meters going on line, because the authors of the plan had addressed all facets of transit.
This latest amendment to the original “Plan” is the worst of government intervention and creeping government expansion for no purpose but to perpetuate itself. Or at least that is how it feels.
The program's expansions have lost sight of the original purpose - to make sure there were parking spaces near stores. “Paid Parking” has evolved from a program to enhance the Aspen Experience into a club to beat on locals and double sales taxes. Would someone please tell me what good doubling fees and expanding metered areas would do me or anyone else who lives in the Aspen metro area?
Council - you need to better explain yourselves to the public. The 'we are stopping cheaters' doesn't resonate. Nor does your premise that increased bus ridership is the solution to the backed up traffic fly. And the 'story', you need more money from parking to finance city needs is insulting.
The 'cheaters' are not cheating. Many are people who want to catch a couple of runs or have a leisurely lunch and shopping without having to pay $2-$4 per hour. Some are commuters with kids, 2nd jobs, and inaccessibility to buses that make for limited transit choices but see the increased fees breaking already tight budgets.
The traffic is backed up most of the day during season. We can't buy and run enough buses effectively until we find a solution the congestion. We need cars maximized with two or more riders to help manage our transit resources. The proposed 'bus lane' needs to include HOV.
As for money - your problem is not lack of revenue but excessive spending and poor allocation of resources. We have a Democratic Governor and Legislature. Get Tabor amended to allow re-allocation of the 1.5 transfer tax to include transit.
It is time for the Citizens to be heard. It is time for another HONK IN.
