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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Downtown Salisbury Parking, Is It A Monopoly?

This afternoon I took a stroll around the Downtown area with one purpose in mind, parking.

Over the past few days I have been looking at this issue and today brought on yet another issue regarding parking, Feldman's.

In the above photos you can see where the City of Salisbury has closed off the old Fire Station 16 parking lot on both sides and the front. The City wants everyone to believe its because of a liability. Now the City is wanting the Feldman's parking area closed off claiming it too is a liability.

Now you tell me, do YOU believe it's a liability to the City? I think not. The ONLY liability is the greedy pockets of the Mayor wanting every single person and business to pony up cash for meters, parking permits and or financially supporting the parking garage.

There are business owners that park at Feldman's as well as people who live on the Plaza. Again, not only is the City proving they couldn't care less about the Downtown residents, they couldn't care less about the businesses Downtown either.

God Forbid you start expanding your small business and hire additional employees. You will be forced to compensate each new employee for a parking permit just to work Downtown. Now I'm not talking about law firms that bring in the big bucks. I'm talking about small businesses like the Barber Shop or the Salon right next door to them.

The parking garage IS, (without question) one of the best parking deals in Downtown. If you are subjected to having to go to Court, the Parking Garage is the place to park. Its cheaper than the meters and you'll never get a ticket there.

I personally think the Mayor and other Department Heads have far too much time on their hands by picking on those people who cannot afford the parking passes or meters. Is it really hurting the City that much that they have to close off yet another small area for parking. I mean, look at the other pictures of Main Street where not one metered parking space from the Chamber all the way to Rt. 13 has a single car in those spaces. Look back the other day where we showed the lack of people parking Downtown.

Keep toying with the businesses and residents and Downtown Salisbury WILL become a Ghost Town.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't shop downtown mainly for the inconvenience of parking and having to put quarters in a meter in the convenient spots. And then worry about how much time may be left on your meter. No fun shopping that way. I'll use the parking lot or garage to do business at the court house or district court building, though. Not real convenient.

Anonymous said...

A permit for lot one (by the library) costs $30 per month. It isn't exactly bank breaking like when I used to park in Baltimore City.

Joseph Albero said...

anonymous 4:25, you must be a lawyer?

That's PER employee. If your cutting hair for $12.00 a pop, paying rent, cable, gas & electric, insurance, an extra $30.00 a month per employee is very expensive.

My main point is, what's it hurt to allow BUSINESSES and RESIDENTS to park for free in these areas.

Anonymous said...

Why is it a liability? If because the ground needs repaved. Then why not a fund raiser or the businesses ( hope I spelt that right)pay for ir. Just a thought.

Anonymous said...

Look at all the empty parking places. Do the meters even pull in enough money to fund the meter people with benefits?

Anonymous said...

Get 'um Joe! Thanks

Anonymous said...

Spelt? is that a word?

Cut down the meters and watch the shops grow...

Anonymous said...

12.00 dollars for a mens hair cut
I hope ya get a brazilian blow out with that
I have never paid more than 6.00 dollars for a haircut that is just highway robbery most men in these parts don't have that much hair
is he doing manicures too and manscapeing waxing or something christ Bob Hamill could sweep up the shop and whip up a toupee for 30.00 dye included
we love Wahl my wife cuts hair like she frosts cakes....sold the Flobee in a yard sale but it hasn't set her back.....and the hair is great in the garden to trap slimy slugs

Anonymous said...

"6.00 dollars for a haircut"

Where do you get your hair cut. . . Mayberry?

Anonymous said...

11:09 PM

lmao. i bet for 6 bucks u get a haircut that makes you look like a mental prisoner.

Anonymous said...

It already is ...a ghost town.

Anonymous said...

if it's a liability because of a need to repave, then the street in front of my house is also a liability. It's been full of potholes for more than 35 years.

Anonymous said...

Cut down the meters and watch the shops grow, and watch there will be NO Parking for customers as business owners and employees will park for FREE in front of their business and then cutomers will be complaining they have to walk to far to get to the business. Take the meters away and taxes go up for the businesses because that money takes care of the lots and for the garage that is only 50 cent an hour. When you park at a meter it's for the convieance of not having to walk from the 2 hr FREE lot. Feldmans is the type of place if something happened to their car or them they would be complaining to the city or even suing the city. While not all people, but most are lazy, cheap and like to complain. I watch people from my job all day long walk past a meter to spend $10 or $15 dollars on a meal, but won't put a quarter in the meter, yet if they got a ticket they'd lie and say the meter didn't work or it just expired. I've watched poeple pull into my permit lot and park in my spcae rather then at a meter and park at the right in front of the sign that say's PERMIT ONLY, people are willing to risk a ticket, I say give them two. And lastly if getting a ticket downtown deters people from parking downtown, does that mean that with the MSP and other police agencies giving out speeding tickets left and right, people stop driving, NO they slow down and are more compliant with the speeding laws? But we live in a liberal state and would rather have a few pay for the masses then everyone pull their own weight in society. Good luck with another way of giving something away for FREE so I can pay more taxes!!! Oh and by the way that's why my permit just went up by $5 per month because those kids won't pay for parking permit and or the meters. Just wanting another FREE ride in life. Soon it will be 50% of us work to support the other 50%. Just because you don't want to pay for parking should be a reason to take out the meters.

Anonymous said...

654, you need to get out and go for a drive sometime and see what's happening in other down-towns that have free parking. There are full stores and plenty of customers generating a TAX BASE that probably multiplies any meter money EXPONENTIALLY!

Anonymous said...

Remember way back when they opened the New Mall (Old Mall)? Now the Centre and shops on N. Salis Blvd? No pay parking and people go in droves.

Anonymous said...

I will agree with you on this one Joe. I just shake my head in disgust every time I visit the downtown area. The opportunity is there. The problem is the City Government.

Joe. For comparison purposes post a picture (google maps street view) of main street in Annapolis. They don't have meters

Anonymous said...

7:26 you also have a higher tax rate because someone has to pay?