Olympia parking fiasco deepens

The City of Olympia’s decision to re-do its pay station meter system is nothing more than rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. It isn’t going to help downtown businesses one whit.

Moving pay stations from one part of town to another is just a staff effort to placate businesses. It isn’t going to work and is designed to keep parking revenue coming in.

The City of Olympia counts on parking meters and parking fines and fees to generate revenue for the city. More than a half million dollars is taken in each year by the city in fines and fees, and it was hoped the new parking system would kick that total up to more than three-quarter’s of a million dollars each year.

Customers aren’t coming downtown. Every business can see that in their bottom line. I haven’t shopped in downtown Olympia since the city removed the free 90-minute parking. And, I don’t intend to do so. I used to like to meet friends in downtown for coffee and take my sweetie out to lunch in the many fine restaurants, but not anymore. I refuse to help the City of Olympia balance its budget through parking fees.

There are too many other places to go where the parking is free.

If the city continues its parking policy you can bet that fewer and fewer people will venture downtown.

Olympia is not Seattle, where the demand for parking allows large fees to be charged for the privilege. Olympia managers need to realize that big city parking policies are killing downtown businesses.