Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/175080
Sarasota News Leader September 20, 2013 OPINION Page 90 The city had beefed up its Parking Enforce- The staffing level for the division during Fisment Division, with an annual budget in ex- cal Year 2012 — the year that parking charges cess of $1 million. When the parking revenues were in effect — amounted to nine individuwere realized, along with fines from parking als: four parking enforcement specialists; one infractions, the cost of parking enforcement parking maintenance technician (presumably would be shouldered to keep the meters by downtown parkers, working); one parknot by city taxpayers. The city's approach to paid ing collection specialAt least, that was the parking has been somewhat like a child's ist; one "garage contheory. plucking of petals from a daisy, saying, cierge;" one manager of parking; and one The city spent around "He loves me. He loves me not" … only supervisor of parking $1 million to purchase the city is saying "We charge them. We services. and install the sophis- charge them not." ticated parking meters For the current fiscal on downtown streets. year, during which Since they were in use parking was free, the only a total of seven months, that meant each staffing level declined by only one. There are month cost taxpayers — not parkers — more now five parking enforcement specialists, one parking attendant and still both a manager of than $140,000 just for equipment. parking and a supervisor of parking services. Meanwhile, parking revenue amounted to One would not need to be an accountant to barely a quarter of a million dollars before guess that the largest salaries are being paid the commission pulled the plug, leaving city to the parking manager and the supervisor of taxpayers holding the bag for three-quarters parking services. One also should be excused of a million dollars in equipment costs and for wondering why, with such a small staff, the entire operating budget for the Parking there has been a need for both a "manager" Enforcement Division, which exceeded reve- and a "supervisor." nues by more than $600,000. Practically speaking, with free parking, only A prudent person might have asked why the three or four enforcement specialists should City Commission, when it decided to forego be needed, and they could report to an adminan estimated $1.6 million in parking revenue, istrative officer in the Sarasota Police Departdid not at the same time scale back the Park- ment — no need for a special manager or a ing Enforcement Division. After all, if parking supervisor just for them. were to be free downtown, there should not There also should be no need for expensive be the need for such elaborate enforcement. automobiles outfitted with costly scanning