Lunchtime Parking: Insert Quarters in Rear

Bunchs Lunchbox | 07/20/2011 7:00 am

In light of the recent proposal from the Mayor's office to make Downtown lunchtime parking paid, I've submitted this letter to my local Council member. I suggest you do the same, or similar. Toledo is one grand, gleaming asphalt slab, and our obsession with the issue of parking has led us to this. There's no shortage of parking in Toledo, just a shortage of access (notice how many lots are gated?) and understanding of how to walk.

But, that's another issue. This issue is about a private company profiting from a small thing that has a big impact on a city so constantly near death for the past 30-plus years, and an administration that is intent upon auctioning off assets we will never regain. They claim it's 'for our own good,' as if we needed to be told what that might be. The truth is, it's about profits from lunchtime quarters, and more so, about profits for lunchtime fines, which will no doubt be incessently "policed" (is there a better word for Meter Maiding?).

I'm angry, and you should be too.

My letter went as follows:

I am incensed by this absurd proposal. In a city that is just beginning to make a resurgence after a decades-long struggle to attract people back into its downtown, I can think of few more wrong moves than increasing paid parking times. Free lunchtime parking is a crucial asset that many locally-owned, privately-owned businesses rely on. In recent years, I've made the case to countless friends and family that a great way to get re-introduced to Downtown Toledo is to come down for lunch, park free and experience the wealth of wonderful eateries that are only open weekdays during lunch, while taking the time to walk around and experience what's left of our incredible architectural. Despite being sure they'd be stabbed upon entering the city limits, many have obliged my invitation and been pleasantly surprised, continuing to frequent these establishments, trying new ones, and introducing their friends and family to them as well. I have no doubt that making lunchtime parking an increased expense would be detrimental to Toledo's recent slow, yet steady rebirth.

This is a shameful tactic that will only increase profits for a private (non-local?) company, and be yet another step by the City of Toledo to discourage those citizens who happily accept the risk and labor of trying to revitalize Downtown by opening up a business. It is contemptible that this proposal should be made in the first place - not to mention that yet another City asset be continually privatized - and if Council or the Mayor's office has any sense of decency or respect for its citizens and small, local businesses should be quickly aborted and/or shot down.

It is infuriating to invest so much personal time and energy into making Toledo a better place to live and work, and have the very City I promote - to those both in the city limits and far out - work against the efforts of myself and so many others. Toledo has a long history of political blunders, awful decisions and flat-out failed plans (a robust listing will be provided upon request). Those of us in the trenches keep our fingers crossed that our elected and appointed officials will soon wake up and stop the half-century-plus trend of accidentally but systematically dismantling what once made Toledo a grand attraction to the nation; reversing policy to again make the City work for its citizens. But, yet again, it seems those in power are still concerned with personal gain and intent on disastrous public failure.

I urge Council to take this small "metered" assault as a serious battle in the future of privatization - in the future of revitalization - and strike this nasty proposal down without second thought.

I hope you'll do the right thing. But given history, to say I trust so would be an indecent lie.

Sincerely,

Ryan A. Bunch

Please, email your local Council members to slap this idiot plan back into the netherworld of corporate debauchery. Thank you.

Council At-Large Members:

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