Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/185868
Sarasota News Leader October 4, 2013 OPINION The city incurs many fixed expenses as a result of offering public parking, whether it charges for parking or not. Since there are no other substantive forms of revenue produced with the current parking program, the cost of maintaining the parking system, support staff and facilities such as the Palm Avenue garage result in a budget deficit. (The costs of electricity, maintaining elevators and cleaning add up.) Page 89 Back-in parking is permitted within the city of Sarasota. Those areas where it is not permitted have signs making that clear. Whether public parking is free or a paid system is used, necessary turnover in spaces and expenses are inextricably tied to enforcing regulations and operating clean, safe, functioning garages and other facilities. Parking availability is vital to the future success of our business and cultural districts, and managing Although it may seem counterintuitive, staff- it requires an appropriate level of funding. ing our parking enforcement positions does The goal of the parking program is smart, safe not create a negative expense burden. But and sustainable parking. That means we must cutting staff would result in decreased rev- enforce existing parking regulations to meet enue, increased unregulated parking, less public safety requirements while balancing parking turnover for visitors and a widening the needs of business owners and residents, effect on the division's budget deficit. and, ultimately, to work incrementally toward Staffing levels have varied over the past sev- being subsidy-free. eral years based on parking initiatives decided Mark Lyons at specific times. However, upon repeal of the Parking Manager paid parking system, the City Commission City of Sarasota approved five parking enforcement positions to monitor compliance within all the business Editor's note: Our normal limit on length of districts in the city. letters was waived to allow a full response. FREE SUBSCRIPTION Don't have your own subscription to The Sarasota News Leader? Subscribe for FREE and receive a weekly notification when the latest issue is available online.