In order to close the City deficit, the City Council passed numerous tax increases and budget cuts. One that sort of slipped through - the parking increases - has caused a bit of a furor. The hourly increase has been less of a concern. The major concern seems to be the extension of the hours when the meters are imposed.
The neighborhood merchants associations in Montclair, Temescal, College, Piedmont, Lakeshore, Laurel, Jack London, Telegraph, San Pablo and numerous other neighborhood commercial strips say they're feeling the impact of the parking changes. In some places, it's just logistics. Customers have no way to get change to pay for the additional two hours. Merchants feel that potential customers are simply avoiding the metered commercial areas to avoid the parking payment hassles.
The downtown commercial district has also been hard hit. Someone in a club, restaurant or theater has to be conscious of the time, otherwise they'll get a ticket. In addition, some of the machines only have a one hour park time, which makes it difficult for patrons to jump up and go feed a meter or move the car.
This follows the insensitive City’s parking analysis that many of us have suffered over the years. For example, on Saturdays, downtown Oakland is virtually deserted. The only people here are ones working. Many of the parking garages are closed and people are forced to park on the street. Yet, the city rigidly enforces downtown parking meters.
Until recently, the City also would send parking enforcement officials to patrol the residential areas on Saturdays when synagogues and Seventh Day Adventist churches meet, writing tickets to church patrons while they are in service. Only sustained pressure from many of these has groups eliminated some of that disturbing behavior.
Churches that perform Saturday weddings and other services get no break whatsoever from the City either. Even when they try to “buy” surrounding parking for designated blocks of time, say three-four hours, to hold a wedding service or other ceremony, the city has been adamant in its refusal.
On Saturdays, the City also strictly enforces parking at the hospital emergency rooms. There is absolutely no logic to require persons that need emergency treatment to worry about paying a meter as well. I am sure in many emergencies, a person makes the decision not to bleed to death rather than try to hunt down change before seeking emergency services.
This is no way to attract business and economic activity to the city. In all of our residential districts, many restaurant and shop owners have struggled to build a client base. Now that they have built a solid base, the City trips them up by putting these extensive and arbitrary parking enforcements in place.
The City will make it difficult and many patrons simply will avoid using these areas rather than maintain a constant vigil to feed the meters. Most people do not carry eight quarters around. Try to find change near the Fox or Paramount Theaters or your favorite restaurant.
Everybody understands that the City is in a budget crisis, but the little money that the City will gross is outweighed by the extra expenses and simple aggravation costs. Raise the hourly meter, but revert the end time back to 6 p.m. so that our commercial district can continue to build their growing clientele.
This budget crisis is far from over. Even though City employees, including the police unions, have taken pay cuts and set aside raises, it is up to the City administration to do more. They have to spend the time to review the City operations to update work rules, cut out wasteful spending and in general, be a better manager of tax payers’ dollars.
The days that elected officials or administrators could simply spend public funds unnecessarily are over. You can only imagine the uproar that will occur the next time the Peralta School District tries to pass a parcel tax or BART requests a fare increase.
This warning appears to have been lost on our current Council members. It would be a much better idea for them to get ahead of the curve and conduct a critical analysis of City spending and become better stewards of city resources. Our government must find better ways than simply raising taxes.
One way would be to partner with the California Conservation Corp and brigades of young, unemployed people to clean our parks, recreation areas and others. We can look to the state and federal government to provide resources to combat our crime and make our city safe.
Look at the example of the Downtown Oakland Merchants Association. You will see many people in brightly colored, easily identified uniforms patrolling the areas, sweeping the streets, emptying trash and otherwise maintaining this part of the city. Other commercial areas in Oakland are exploring or implementing the same program. The City should take the private merchants' lead and enhance these programs throughout the city to clean our park and recreation areas and our neighborhood streets.
This budget crisis is going to require creative thinking to enhance revenues, a closer audit of city spending and resources to maximize their impact, volunteerism and partnership to provide basic City services, and more civic responsibility. In order to implement this new direction for city government, it will require new and innovative leadership. Lets see if the current Council is up to it.
Clinton Killian is an attorney in downtown Oakland, an Oakland resident, a former Oakland Planning Commissioner. He can be reached at: (510) 625-8823 or email: clintonkillian@yahoo.com. |