S. Tahoe budget hole would grow without parking meters
By Kathryn Reed
For people to say they didn’t know South Lake Tahoe intended to charge for parking near beaches, makes one wonder if they had their head in the sand for the past year.
“The other new source of revenue is via metered parking, especially near beaches.” That’s from a March 2, 2011, Lake Tahoe News story.
The city in its budget for 2011-12 – that would be this year – is counting on more than $300,000 from parking revenue in the form of citations and meters.
Venice Drive in South Lake Tahoe is slated to have parking meters this summer. Photo/LTN
On Feb. 7 the City Council was expected to approve an amendment to a city ordinance that would have expanded parking meter zones to Regan Beach, Stateline Beach, Venice Drive between Tahoe Keys Boulevard and Tahoe Keys Marina, and Saddle Road between Ski Run Boulevard and Wildwood Avenue. Instead, the four (Angela Swanson was absent) caved to pressure from marina interests.
“We did have 200 people at both budget hearings, so it is not like this is news,” City Manager Tony O’Rourke said.
Jay Kniep with Lakeside Park Association; Bob Hassett who operates the marinas at Camp Richardson, Tahoe Keys and Lakeside; and Zan Barker the president of the Lakeside Park Association said at the council meeting last week that they found out about the parking issue this month.
This, despite the fact the parking issue has been discussed at multiple public meetings for nearly a year, has been written about multiple times, is included in the current budget year which started Oct. 1, and that meters already were erected near Heavenly Village.
“It’s chilling to have this announcement and no input,” Barker said. “Everyone I’ve talked to is concerned. I beg you to step back.”
Step back the council did.
A special meeting just to accommodate these three men and their special interests has been scheduled for Feb. 22.
These men think paid parking will hurt their businesses. After all, they won’t be making a dime off the fee. It will go into the city’s coffers.
But paid parking is not new on the South Shore. Even Hassett charges for parking every summer to get to the Beacon restaurant and adjacent marina. But he gets to keep those dollars.
The Ski Run Marina owner charges in the summer and the U.S. Forest Service has a fee at some locations.
If the council doesn’t move forward, it’s possible the summer paid parking season will be cut short. Originally the council was expected to have on its Feb. 21 agenda an item to approve buying the parking meter kiosks. Clearly that won’t happen because the special interest meeting will be the day after the next council meeting.
Police Chief Brian Uhler, whose department handles the bulk of the parking issue, said each week and month that decisions are delayed means that much longer for the equipment to be purchased, put into the ground and to become operational. Which in turn could mean less money collected that would necessitate mid-year changes to the budget.
O’Rourke pointed out the council can do whatever it wants as long as the electeds remember they adopted a budget that banks on parking revenue. If they want to back away from meters, then another revenue source needs to found or the council can keep making cuts.
Meeting info:
Date: Feb. 22
Time: 6-7:30pm
Location: Parks & Recreation Complex, Cedar Room, 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd., South Lake Tahoe
More info: (530) 542.6136.
The City is going out of its way to take the Tahoe Keys Marina away from working people. I understand the inspections. I understand the ramps needing to be closed. So I understand I cant go fishing at 0400. But taking trailer parking off of Venice, and now limiting the hours for parking on Venice makes no sense. All this does is make it harder for people to play at Tahoe.
I guess this is all just special interests according to the story though.
TK Marina is privately owned. They set the hours, not the city. Lots of other users in TK area besides boat owners. That would be another special interest group, just like the whiny marina people.
The question that needs to be asked is whether the parking meters will negatively impact adjacent neighborhoods with a sudden abundance of parked cars avoiding the parking fees.
BUDGET CUTS and not alternative revenue sources is the answer. Government at every level is unsustainable because its needs (money) grows exponentially while the paying population base shrinks.
Steve brings up an excellent point about the impact to adjacent neighborhoods. Perhaps this has been or will be addressed at the next meeting. I would appreciate hearing more about this concern.
So 2 simple rules for legislating: 1) Trim excess and then some, and 2) Look at the unintended negative consequences of what you do in haste.
I would be disappointed with parking fees – I am on a limited income, and enjoy walking on the loop trail off of Venice St. I also think you will force cars into neighborhoods. Do something with the hole in the ground to generate revenue for SLT.
just another example of how the good old boy’s are driving people out of town
$300,000.00 in fees and fines
instead of making our town user friendly
to come here and have a good time
Note the Mtn. News story on what the CM makes. God forbid the City control its expenditures before making it harder for tourists to enjoy, play (AND SPEND) in our City!
by the rationale used in the story – if people living in a neighborhood experience a heretofore unseen crime wave, they should be used to and accept the crime because it’s in other neighborhoods. ??
Meters in the settings described (or other unnecessary parking limitiations) will only hurt local business – just ask merchants in Downtown Truckee or around Heavenly Village and Crescent V. Plus SLT is not “the city” and not even much of “a city” – I think we would be better off not trying to act like one!
Parking meters in small towms look like just what they are – attempted revenue generators, not a necessary response to limited parking. This is already a substandard resort setting – overall with overpriced and undermaintained settings – some of the above commenst are spot on – fix what’s really broken first!
Slash the CM’s salary/perks by $100K, look at cutting some of the other top $$$ makers in the city, there’s your $300K. Quit putting the expenses on the few remaining locals. Make SLT more friendly not elitist.
The new “Tahoe South” parking policy.
Another x local that is glad to be gone gone gone…
I am very disappointed by the statement, “A special meeting just to accommodate these three men and their special interests has been scheduled for Feb. 22.” It sounds very condescending and seems to attempt to put them down.
These three men are worried about the impact of the parking meters and are just voicing their opinion, like we all have a right to do. I know one of the men and know that he owns a business in one of the affected areas. I worked there for 2 summers and know that part of the appeal is the easy access to park and have a bite to eat. I also know that a lot of locals, including my family, would be affected by these parking meters and I am very glad these “three men and their special interests” spoke up.
Heather Cade
Seems like the squeaky wheel getting the grease, holding up a deal that was agreed to in March 2011. The public isn’t rebelling. It is special interests, it is three men. Why do people have problems with the truth?
Todd- The truth is everyone has their special interests. Why look down on people for standing up for what they want?
Also, look at the poll on the Tribune. Looks like quite a few locals are against this.
Meters in SLT will most likely mean lots of empty space on the street, and full lots in front of businesses where parking is free. And not necessarily full of patrons of those businesses either. Look how well the parking garage at Stateline works. Empty. But try to find a space at Harrah’s.
Sorry to go against the crowd but meters are a great idea to raise revenue. City folk already know how to use them and locals will just need to learn to carry a few quarters in their pockets. As far as hearing from these 3 individuals, if they really were interested in what goes on around town they would have been at those previous meetings. Who cares what they have to say? Meters will not keep tourists away from a business that gives good service-period. It’s a closed minded idea with no basis. I also hope the city has been ticketing the businesses in town who have not been clearing their sidewalks of snow. I’ve seen plenty of slackers out there from the last 2 snowfalls. Evidently they didn’t get notice of the new law either.
My sentiments are with Bob.
Bob, there are two basic curves that everyone in economics learns; supply and demand. And we talk about certain principals in economics as being laws, much like gravity. One of these laws has to do with incentives and human behavior. Or in this case, disincentives. So yes, having a few coins in ones pocket does get a person into parking. But alas I carry no cash. So there is a disencentive to me going to these places.
So now the real point. You state “It’s a closed minded idea with no basis.” And yet you have no basis to make that statement. My guess, and its a guess I admit, you havent even taken a basic economics course. But you like meters so everyone else is stupid I guess. Me thinks the shoe is on the other foot.
Bob–Jay, Bob and Zan are more powerful in this town and how it works around here.
than any of us that blog on this site
if they can stop Tony and the Jokers from porking any more people,
well God Bless them.
I don’t think any of these meters take coin. It’s credit card. Check out the ones by Heavenly Village. It is supply and demand. The demand is great for beach parking in the summer. Why do you think the city calls it the summer parking season? Why do you think other places don’t charge in winter? Everyone says no in this town. How would you balance the city budget?
Todd, I would quit subsidizing the airport.
This is just the beginning. What I am concerned about is parking meters in residential neighborhoods. Look at the proposed meters on Saddle. This is a residential area where full time residents live. Ask yourself this question. How would you feel about having parking meters erected in front of your house? That is the new reality of what the City is proposing. Balancing the budget by charging residents, and others, to use their neighborhoods.
Will it end there? I think not. Get ready to pay for parking when you want to use the local park, to patronize your local business or to use the local trailheads. Is that the reality you want for this town?
How about responsible spending rather than inserting hideous parking meters in our pretty neighborhoods and businesses? Fees are the recent increase in parking citations are bad enough as it is in Tahoe’s poor economy. What abou the locals? Please don’t do it!
The markting people at Red Hawk must be laughing their butts off.
The parking at the gondola is the worst.
How many people who get harassed or ticketed there come back??
Does anyone have a break down of the net proceeds? We still have to pay salaries and bennies, maybe a couple of new trucks.
Parking meters, if they have them, had better take cash. Not everyone carries credit cards. And I would hesitate to use one in a public meter, as skimmers and electronic code theft is becoming more common. My husband’s card got skimmed at a gas station in the valley and we had a horrible time with the resulting identity theft. I now ONLY use the card at Costco. There’s an attendant at all times.
I’d be curious to hear how much the purchase, installation and maintenance is going to cost as compared to the anticipated $300,000 in gross income. How much will the city make after all is said and done – barring any lawsuits from some idiot agency.
Shortsighted, take $1, lose $100, cause I would go somewhere else that was more welcoming, like Placerville, Reno, or most any other city, except big urban cities like San Fransisco. How about trying to welcome people, rather than nickel and diming them!
Lots of good, if misinformed, ideas. . . it is a well known fact in community development that most places don’t manage their parking situations well, to the detriment of their municipal cash flow. . . so far, so good.
To Zan and their point, not being properly noticed also includes the fact that they may not have had the best uses in mind when “sold” on meters – the best scenario for a meter is to include those that would allow the visitor to further patronize (especially at another time) local businesses.
Pay attention to receipts now printed at national concerns (even here) – they have four-color coupons redeemable in the future, with specials only there.
Contemporary parking meters also have that capacity, therefore are strategically useful to encourage repeat business. Enough said.
The real dilemma is in the area of ‘supply & demand’ – while this may be managing the supply (see above), there still exists the problem of demand – as in there isn’t enough – that’s why Zan and the Park Avenue crowd are concerned, losing additional market share when there isn’t quite enough to go around, a problem now extending across decades.
The same argument has often been used when the City wanted to make Harrison Avenue a one-way bike path, which has so far not been done. The retail businesses always associate people spending money with being able to bring their cars – an idea quickly being rendered obsolete in a number of places now. Credit cards are 2″ by 3″ and weigh ounces, with $ 5,000 available.
Bob: “meters will not keep (patrons) away from a business that gives good service…period” Very true, and should be reassuring, but probably won’t be with respect to the lack of adequate Tahoe marketing: creating extra demand.
Let’s put them in when Nevada does.
Just one more unfriendly thing the city will do to cause even more people to leave the hill. Bad decisions everywhere, but the Ta-hole is the worst. Can’t dig your way out of that pit with a few parking meters.
Duh, parking meters while parking garage a million dollar Flunk,so now put guns to our heads and the tourist to use it or else, not much of a problem solver.
How many people would go to the casinos if you had to pay for parking?
Public ,free parking is what makes people pull up and what business is all about.
This city needs to pull their head out their butts get with appealing to the outsiders along with the full timers.
Nickel,dime, all us to death just doesn’t cut the mustard.
I think the city should stop paying on the parking garage debt. Let who ever foreclose on the garage and go from there. Oh, does that mean the city forecloses on itself? So be it, can the city save 7 million by stop paying on the debt? How long will it take to take in $7 million with parking meters?
Next, stop funding the airport,$600,000 a year. Let it close or go private. Let the county take it over.
When gas hits $4.50/gal and beyond in Sac and SF, parking meters won’t matter anyway, no one will be here.
And what’s up with gas prices here already? In the past 2 weeks, prices have spiked 50+ cents in Meyers and of course the rest of the town follows. In those 2 weeks, the price at Costco and AM/PM in Carson Valley has climbed 7 CENTS! I paid $3.51 today (Sun) at Costco! Why does So. Tahoe continue to rip everyone off! $4.19 at the Roadrunner and $4.39 at the Chevron in Meyers. I guess those beer caves at the Roadrunner-Dart-Roundhill are losing money. And of course we all know what a rip off the Chevron has always been.
Steven: on Friday gas at Costco was only $3.49.9. So it’s gone up 2 cents even down there in two days. Better fill up. Yesterday they told us Iran just stopped shipping fuel to the UK and France, and today they just told us that Saudi Arabia cut output and shipments in DECEMBER.
And our Commander in Chief won’t let us develop our own sources. . . and he’s reducing our nuclear capability while China and Iran are increasing theirs.
Do ANY of you folks get nervous about this stuff? Or are you even aware of it?
Dogula,
you must feel pretty alone up there in ignoranceville.
Dogula, you are right, I cant believe Obama is reducing our nuclear capacity. Why just the other day they licensed the first two nuclear reactors in 30 years. But it could have been 3.
By the way, even if we drill baby drilled, unless you want obama to pull a Venezuala and nationalize the oil companies, the oil just gets shipped to China and India and does not make a difference here.
There is an international oil market. Think about it.
John – increasing the supply has no effect. Huh?
Years of idiot logic and this is what you get.
Why don’t you Think about it.
Steve I agree with you, so many things are tied to all us,too much for anyone or any business to escape,We Took for so long that we let business dictate our lives, When we took the devils promise of live today ,pay for the rest your god given lives.The Devil here is the Banks,And they have no pity on any living thing.When Debt Is More Important Than people, the system has become too evil for all us.
If you take time to check out what’s going on in the Syria area ,many ships from many different countries are cruising the Iran area.Many big carriers,battle ships,Lot’s stress there.The media really not welcomed there,and they aren’t going tell us the American people the truths that factor in to these Problems anyway.(time to see if the new technology missiles work better than last time ,empty the inventory,build more).$(America builds so many weapons,billions, billions are sold ever year ,so the bad people who don’t agree with our Washington Group,shoot them back us)!
On top that, We are having a mild winter,this cuts into profits of Oil stock holders,Money the bottom line.
For many years I’ve watched in vain here in our little city dreams, with all these big ideas,got have this, got have that,it bring Big bucks here,If All you old locals observed,the progress with both city remodeling, the EPA water clarity has been outrageous amount money spent for few returns.(course we are under the impression it will neaver end?)
How can there be a tomorrow without a TODAY?
The whole world got fooled on the Phony money ,wealth, that was worthless to start with,if we all went to the banks to cash out, there’s not enough to go around to the balance on their sheets.
Smoking mirrors one day are going to break,then mother earth can get back to clearing the burning bridges,start all over again.
This Just a opinion but I think it’s in the ball park.
Joe, increasing the supply by the proven US reserves that can be brought online in the next decade would have no effect on total worldwide supply and the number of new consumers each year would more than consume the production.
I guess I have to spell out the obvious.
John,
WOW … You got to be kidding me… scary dumb.
That’s all I will say to that and I’ll end it here because my time is to important to go further with you.