Toledo City Administration is wrong on lunch time parking meters

The City of Toledo is considering eliminating free lunch time parking downtown. Currently parking is free downtown from 11AM to 2PM. The city administration commissioned a traffic study by a company who designs and builds parking structures which is an obvious conflict of interest. Of course people who are in the business of designing and building paid parking facilities will advocate against free parking. Secondly, we are already paying for the streets and by extension the parking spaces through our tax dollars. This would be yet another tax on something that we are already being taxed to pay for.  Something the city Administration seems to be completely overlooking is that people may very well stop going downtown for lunch if this plan is implemented. As someone who works near downtown but far enough that I have to drive, I would much rather go elsewhere such as the Central and Secor area to eat than pay for parking.  I haven’t carried cash or change on me regularly for years, if I have to stop to get cash anytime that I want to park downtown I will simply avoid it. I’ve read a few statements in the Toledo Blade from city officials claiming that this will reduce parking congestion and make it easier to find parking spots as if this would be some kind of public service. Charging people to park is not a public service, it’s an annoyance and an inconvenience. I would much rather drive around for 5 minutes looking for a parking spot than have to pay for a “closer” spot.

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