08/13/2024
Please see WAY below to find the petition to sign if you agree.
I'm working on writing a better piece on why some of the changes that the City of Wichita- Government wants to make regarding parking should be shifted. Short version:
A: Parking in OldTown had been paid by the property owners and wrapped up into leases - why can't that continue accross the three neighborhoods?
B: Costs based on "comparable markets" - BS - it's new, start with lower rates. Don't let other communities dictate how much money you can make - you know how much you need and you're asking way more.
C: Money Grab - According to their plan, the city of Wichita will not be writing the tickets anymore. THIS IS A BIG ISSUE TO ME - PRIVATIZATION OF CITY SERVICES IS A PROBLEM FOR EVERYONE- THE CAR PARK IS A FOR PROFIT BUSINESS AND WILL MAKE AS MUCH AS THEY CAN WRITTING TICKETS. What fees and commissions will they be making? What happens if someone doesn't pay their tickets, can the Car Park sue for the property/car? Look at HOA's as an example. Privatized HOA's can take your house, why shouldn't they try to take your car?
D: Double dipping - I can't use my monthly parking pass in OldTown to then go to Delano for lunch. I have to pay for parking twice. My allotted lunch time doesn't allow me to catch the Q-Line.
E: There is no way to validate my customers parking - if I want to take the burden from my customers, I can't. The city doesn't seem to be interested in adding that feature
F: Similar to other cities - other communities like ours offer free nights/weekends/holidays. They aren't interested in that.
G: There is no way for them to recognize that I have two vehicles. Before with monthly parking, I had a tag that I could swap from car to car. The new way, even if I have a monthly parking pass, I have to pay for my other car if one is broken/in the shop/my husband needs it, etc.
E: Parking ISN'T FREE - of course not, we aren't stupid (they are treating us this way). Now, instead of parking being wrapped up into my overhead (THE WAY IT IS EVERYWHERE ELSE), my customer has to pay for it separately, thus giving them reasons to shop elsewhere where the parking is already included. The city doesn't think it will matter, but I don't want my customer to come into my office irritated at this inconvenience when I would have gladly taken that away to make their life easier.
Some Ideas:
A: Put it on the property owners of those areas so that the costs can be a normal part of overhead just like with private parking.
B: If not A then: Monthly passes that work across all distrcits. Don't divy up the areas, just make it one option to simplify. Looks less like a money grab as well.
C: If not A then: Fix the bugs that people are stating are an issue. I assure you software developers can update plate readers to accomodate if/then statements for license plate numbers. Allow for validation. Just because the Car Park doesn't do this in other communities doesn't mean they can't figure it out if you tell them to. Their one-stop-shop square peg doesn't fit our communities needs.
DO BETTER!
Can you spare a minute to help this campaign?
