Letter: Paid parking is a dead-end pursuit

To the community,

Many years ago when Kerry Miller was the city manager and before I was on the City Council, I attended a council meeting. That night the city parking garage was on the agenda. A citizen asked Miller why the private sector wouldn’t build the garage. Miller’s answer was short and sweet. He said because they know it will not work. Miller was right. It has been a loser since the ribbon was cut.

Bill Crawford

I realize that is the past and that nothing is gained by beating that nag that can’t get to the finish line without a city subsidy. But we can use the past to guide us in the present and the future. We must keep a public memory. To build the garage at public expense was a crapshoot. And the present attempt at paid parking in the city is also a roll of the dice.

The main problem with city councils and city mangers is: They get a bright idea and though it looks shaky, might come up snake eyes, they force it upon the public to the bitter end and the public pays the bill for failure. Too often council members have a dream and say that it will be a sure fire success. They don’t think in terms of probabilities. The present council and city manger argue that paid parking will create new big revenue for the city.

But there are sound arguments voiced by a loud opposition. Thinking back to what Kerry Miller said about the private sector not willing to build the parking garage, it appears that a majority of the council and city manger have no memory of past experience, past failures. That’s disturbing when the game is a game of chance. Put your best down.

Bill Crawford, South Lake Tahoe