Chicagoist's Top Stories Of 2013: Rahm Emanuel Owns The Parking Meter Disaster

By Chuck Sudo in News on Dec 28, 2013 5:00PM

Photo credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

During Rahm Emanuel’s two-plus years as Chicago’s Mayor he and his press team have been very adept at dishing out clichés to media while reminding all within earshot that the dinner plate full of fiscal woes facing the city is one he inherited from Richard M. Daley, all while taking pains not to explicitly blame Daley for things like the city’s budget deficit and the looming pension crisis that threatens to blow it all to hell (more on that tomorrow), its ongoing battles with organized labor and Chicago’s ongoing flirtation with privatization projects.

One of the clichés Emanuel used when he announced the changes to the city’s much-maligned parking meter deal in April was that he was merely “trying to make a little lemonade out of a big lemon.” After analyzing the amendments to the 75-year deal what Emanuel really did was squeeze more juice from the original lemon—for the benefit of Chicago Parking Meters LLC.

The supposed linchpin to the deal was a concession from CPM for free parking on Sundays because, as Emanuel said at a news conference announcing the amended deal, “you shouldn’t have to pay to go to church.” That came in exchange for an extra hour of metered parking during the week except for downtown and River North, which would see two extra hours of the meters. Emanuel also touted other new add-ons to the deal like the reconciliation of $61 million in disputed bills from CPM for lost parking spaces due to festivals, street closures and handicapped parking; a “pay by cell” feature to be rolled out next summer; and $1 billion in savings to taxpayers over the remaining 71 years of the deal, ultimately Chicago Parking Meters LLC stands to make even more money from the amended contract after conceding free Sunday parking.

Some aldermen, notably Brendan Reilly (42nd), whose ward includes River North, said they were blindsided by Emanuel’s changes to the contract and suggested the city stick with the original 2008 deal.

Photo credit: Moe Martinez

Aldermen who rubber-stamped Daley’s original contract for the parking meters talked tough about ensuring transparency in the changes to the contract negotiated by Emanuel and insisted they would have to pass a thorough sniff test before passage. While the changes were approved, this time 11 aldermen voted against the amended deal. Alderman Scott Waguespack (32nd) who voted against both the original deal and Emanuel's amended contract, summed it up perfectly in a single tweet.

As for that free Sunday parking Emanuel said was every churchgoers’ right? That resulted in a rash of motorists hogging parking spaces in business districts outside the Loop. The low meter turnover has reportedly become so severe that some business owners are complaining of losing customers and aldermen who were promised by Emanuel that metered parking would remain in their wards have been stonewalled by the mayor.

Oh, well. There are only 70 more years left in that contract. It should pass in no time.