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Sarasota News Leader September 6, 2013 Page 29 Combined, the two programs will reduce the city budget subsidy of the Parking Department from $475,000 to $250,450, according to city staff. The impetus for charging at the 740-space public garage was to decrease the department's deficit, Barwin said. City staff needed to lower it without being able to count on revenue from parking meters downtown, which an earlier City Commission voted to remove. "We need to cut this subsidy," said Commissioner Suzanne Atwell. "I think we should start in the garage." Mayor Shannon Snyder and Commissioner Paul Caragiulo voted against the parking programs. "We don't have a parking problem," Snyder said. "We have an over-management problem." Snyder added that the city should have privatized the garage when it had a chance to do so. Caragiulo said he would have preferred that the city's Parking Advisory Committee review the plan for paid garage parking before the agenda item came to the City Commission for a vote. Sarasota Parking Manager Mark Lyons (left) and Chris Gallagher, chairman of the Parking Advisory Board, discuss the parking revenue situation with the City Commission in June. Photo by Norman Schimmel Sarasota Parking Manager Mark Lyons said about 26 percent of the garage's users leave vehicles there for less than 90 minutes and thus will be able to take advantage of the complimentary parking. For those going to the theater or a longer din"My comfort level is not where it should be," ner date, get ready to pay. At least motorists will not need to fumble for their change beCaragiulo added. cause all of the fees will be at dollar intervals. The first 90 minutes in the garage will remain free, but fees will apply after that. Motorists "Pay with coins is cumbersome," Lyons said. will be charged $1 for the first two hours and The employee parking program will set aside $3 for three hours, with the fees graduating to 125 spaces in the Palm Avenue garage, another a $16 maximum daily rate. 75 in the State Street lot (while it is available The garage, which opened in 2010, has always for use; a garage proposed on that site, too); been set up for paid parking. Since the pay-in- 75 spaces on Second Street; 10 on Cocoanut lane equipment is in place, city staff just has Avenue; 50 on First Street; and 10 on Orange to turn it on. Avenue. %