After much hot air was blown around at the first meeting, the Ocean City Parking Task Force is now getting to work on the true objective of the effort – deciding on how to make more money for the city without hurting the commercial sector, angering residents and alienating visitors.
We advocate for keeping things simple. It often leads to the best results. That’s why we like Ocean City hotelier/restaurateur G. Hale Harrison’s idea of simply increasing hourly paid parking rates for this summer. An argument can be made it’s too cheap to park in Ocean City, a clean and safe oceanfront resort destination. A quick evaluation of other tourist and metropolitan destinations confirms the resort could and should be charging more for parking to ensure daytrippers are paying their way.
“Why don’t we look at raising the rates? The rate at the municipal lots and on the street is $2, but maybe that can go to $2.50,” Harrison said. “The same with the Inlet lot from $3 to $3.50. That might be more palatable for people and meet the revenue needs. Let’s keep it simple. That’s something that could be done this summer.”
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
12 comments:
locals gt 50% discount, out of town 1005 increase
St Simons Island in GA, Free, Destin Florida, Free, Jekyll Island GA, free, and my next Vacation Destination Hilton Head Island, SC, FREE!!!!!!
Better Beach, better Climate and lost cost of free parking south of here!!!!
Even the Outer Banks of NC are for the most part FREE!!!!
To hell with OC. I haven't visited them in summer for years. If I go, it's in the winter and you can get reduced prices for meals at Restaurants. If I go in the summer, I avoid the inlet all together and park at the convention center and take the bus.
It's no longer a vacation destination for me. It's been taken over by gangs and other bad elements! You can take your rate increases and stick them where the sun don't shine!!!!
I hope many people with means take their vacation dollars and boycott OC.
There are many great mountain resorts in WV and Virginia as well as beach resorts in the South. If you go in May, it's like summer and you get get off season rates far cheaper than anything OC or the Delaware beach resorts would charge.
Screw them!!!! I'm fed up with the constant increases in taxes and fees in this state. I hope many more people will do as I have done and vote with their wallets and just boycott Ocean City period!
Thanks for the tip.
The Harrisons have to have plenty of money on hand to keep John boy Harrison out of jail and keep him available to tend his pot garden.
Hale Harrison and the Politians in OC don't want daytrippers / Locales in OC. We should get discounts or free parking since we have to put up with these foreigners / non-locales road rage and heavy traffic. They are disrespectful and need to stay on the other side of the 3 bridges, Delaware Memorial, Bay Bridge and Bay Bridge Tunnel. We, the locales have to put up with their attitudes. OC just charges New York prices with no return for the Locales. Just another reason not to go to OC, since I stopped in 2006 and have never missed it.
Reminds me of Annapolis and those greedy politians.
Making it more expensive for tourists and less visited by locals!
We don't go there in season any more!
Why is the City trying to increase income?
For what purpose does it need the extra income?
Has there been a discussion at the City about trimming costs?
Why is it always the richest ones who want to charge more money for everything? It's been raised to the point that locals can hardly afford to go to Ocean City. It's not like the town is in dire straits. Please stop.
I just don't go there anymore
Stay away from downtown during the "season". Been that way for over 15 years. Sad but the mindset continues to be generate revenue and SPEND!
Harrison doesn't care what the amount is, its not HIS money so why the worry! That mindset IS the problem!
$4500 per police officer uniforms
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