A Real Mayor Isn't Blind

Welcome to Salisbury Maryland, the most unfriendly community you've ever seen when it comes to the handicapped. Oh sure, if the feds are handing out lots of cash to replace curbs at street corners, Salisbury dives right into taking that money. However, why pound your chest and act like you're friendly to the handicapped when you see images like those above. Allow me to explain.

The images you are seeing show ONE handicap parking space. Think about that for a minute. In fact, start thinking about the locations of ALL of the handicapped parking spaces throughout the entire Downtown area. You see, if it were you and I opening a business we'd have to provide multiple handicapped spaces but the City seems to be exempt from that.

There are 52 parking spaces in Lot 15. 16 of these spaces are metered, 1 is handicapped and get this. Look at the images above. The ONE handicap parking space in the very last spot furthest from the Plaza.

Every single day I sit in my Office and watch the elderly struggling to get up the long and slow incline heading to the Plaza. I can't stress this enough. There isn't just one or two per day, there are DOZENS! Many elderly people are pushing wheel chairs, walkers, canes and others are simply assisted by others holding their arms while they walk for stability.

So now your elderly, (handicapped in some way) and you go to visit your Dentist or Lawyer. You put a quarter or two in the meter and you have to race to your location hoping you'll be in and out before you get a ticket. If your smart you'll not even consider parking in the ONE spot furthest from the Plaza because, well, it's not easy making that long walk, would you agree?

As you scan the images below, the last photo shows the Downtown Plaza where there's not one handicap parking space. There's none on Division Street either. So in reality there's only ONE handicapped parking space. Oh, that is, unless you pull into the 2 hour free parking, which is even farther away than Lot 15. I guess it all depends on where your going.

Look at this picture above. To your immediate left is the ONE handicapped parking space. We need 3 or 4 Handicap parking spaces all the way towards the north end of this lot. But you know how those liberals currently in office think, there's no money in it for them if they actually cared about what is RIGHT.


Now we'll take a look at the rest of Lot 15. The Opportunity Shop is only open on Thursday from 10 to 3. I kid you not, when they are getting ready to open there are 30 to 40 people standing in line to get in their door at 10:00 AM. Now think about that for a minute. There are 12 metered spaces, (many of which are taken by others visiting businesses on the Plaza) on this end of Lot 15. Last Thursday one of the meter people was leaning against the light pole at 9:50 AM just waiting for the people to start walking into the Opportunity Shop so they could start writing tickets. WHY, because many of these people parked in the permit parking because there were no other available spaces. Then when the meters start running out they start writing tickets for the meter spaces.

This is NOT how we welcome people to Salisbury, Maryland and as Mayor I would immediately address the City Council to remove the parking meters in Lot 15 AND the entire Downtown Plaza. You want me for Mayor, get yourselves totally prepared for change that will ENCOURAGE others to visit Downtown and NOT punish them.

Just imagine how many customers Anne Taylor, (Parker Place) had that were subjected to these same kind of tickets. It's no wonder she packed up and left. While some may think this is a small deal, you're wrong. Become one of the recipients of one of these tickets and you'll completely understand. The City is acting like they own a huge shopping mall and the first 50 parking spaces closest to the stores have parking meters on them. The reason you don't see meters in the Mall is because it's stupid, selfish and it drives people AWAY.

When the fine was a dollar, that was one thing. Now it's $10.00 and causes all kinds of problems for many with DMV down the road. I want to change some of these problems, Ireton does not. In fact, Ireton is growing that department because their revenue is bigger then they've ever seen before. You now have two full time people writing tickets and two bicycle cops doing the same.

I firmly believe changes like what I am proposing will encourage people to come back to the Downtown area and help its growth. Sure, some will say employees will take advantage of it. This may be true but we'll simply have to create an honor system for those who abuse these spaces. Limit them to 2 hour parking. I believe it's the right thing to do and I'd encourage the Council to rethink the Downtown parking. I encourage Mayor Ireton to look into this immediately. It doesn't have to wait for me to become the Mayor. It doesn't require a Press Conference. Just do what's right and STOP punishing people who visit this fine City.

In closing, figure something out for those people who actually pay big bucks to live Downtown. STOP writing them tickets. STOP forcing them to buy parking permits. Many are paying upwards of $1,200.00 a month to live in these beautiful apartments. Make it a PERK to live Downtown with FREE parking in Lot 15. By the way, 99.9% of the people living Downtown WORK for a living. Therefore they head off to work BEFORE the meter people start writing tickets and come home AFTER they shut down for the day. God Forbid they get sick or furloughed one week day and stay home.

Open your eyes Mayor Ireton. It really is the little things that can actually start rebuilding Downtown Salisbury.

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