More Aldermanic Posturing on Parking

By Kevin Robinson in News on Jul 1, 2009 2:20PM

In a symbolic move, 33rd Ward Alderman and Rules Committee Chairman Dick Mell and 38th Ward Alderman and Transportation Committee Chairman Tom Allen are demanding that the Chicago Park District cancel its plans to install meters in over 4,000 parking spots in lakefront spaces. "The slogan is, 'Come out and play', not 'come out and pay.' We want to revisit this. People own the lakefront. People own the beach. In this economy, that's the only vacation people can afford," Allen told the Sun-Times. The Park District announced in May that they would begin charging for parking this fall. Mayor Daley, already bruised and battered from voter outrage over the parking meter privatization debacle, dodged comment on the matter, telling the Tribune, "That's the park district."

Regardless, aldermanic pressure on the Park District may not be worth much more than a few soundbites and a re-election talking point. That's because the district's board is appointed by the mayor and the city council has no say in the matter. "The way we view it here is adding a small fee that will impact those actually using the service, in this case, about $1-an-hour to park at the beach is better than having a property tax increase," said Jessica Maxey-Faulkner, spokeswoman for Tim Mitchell, a long-time Daley political organizer and superintendent of the parks. Mitchell devised the plan earlier this year in an effort to stave off cuts in park services and layoffs of workers. Fees from parking are expected to bring in an additional $700,000 a year.