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So as we stare down higher property tax bills and a potential transit fare hike, here's more good news: the parking meter rates are going up, too. As The Parking Ticket Geek points out, when the City Council passed that controversial parking meter lease that Mayor Daley engineered, it also included a yearly increase in rates. These annual rate increases will continue through 2013. $1/hour rates will go up to $1.50, $2/hr up to $2.50, and $3.50/hr up to $4.25. The increases hit January 1, 2010.
Just for the heck of it, let's once more list the five aldermen who actually voted against the parking meter deal and remember to add them to our Christmas card list: Toni Preckwinkle (4th), Leslie Hairston (5th), Billy Ocasio (26th), Scott Waguespack (32nd) and Rey Colon (35th).
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I don't remember what the actual figures were, but weren't the plans to annually increase parking meter rates for the first 5 or so years of the contract known from the beginning? Because with that in mind, this doesn't surprise me at all. Still sucks though.
The question is, at what point does a significant proportion of people just stop driving? We're clearly powerless to halt the efforts of a private company with a monopoly on parking meters to increase rates, so it would appear that abstaining from driving altogether would be the only way to make any sort of real impact. There has to be a tipping point, I just wonder what it is for most people. I'd say three dollars as the base rate. Fuck that.
do* a proportion
What's your property tax bill look like, Marcus? Seeing as you write in the collective "we," you must be independently wealthy if you write for Chicagoist full-time and own anything in this city.
Actually, the collective "We" - for better or for worse - is the typical voice for posts on Chicagoist. As for my own property, I don't own property but there are writers on this site who do. Anyway, don't know why you're getting anal about this. Anyone's who's read this site for any length of time is familiar with the general style of the site.
The parking meter increase has worked out great for those of us in the suburbs. I can actually find a spot and pay $3 to park til 9 instead of paying $20 in some garage.