Check out the presentation by Jessica Robertson of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) here: Parking Pricing for Vibrant Downtowns.
Our top video team of Bonnie Carter, Maureen Reilly Meagher, Barry Mirrer, and Tami Roberts recorded the forum, so keep an eye on your NewTV schedule in the upcoming weeks for a replay.
Thanks to Brooke Lipsitt for moderating, and to Jessica Robertson, Sean Roche and Rene Khachadourian for participating. Thanks as well to Bonnie, Maureen, Barry and Tami for preserving the event on tape, to Ellen Meyers of the Newton Free Library for sponsoring the evening, and to Andreae Downs and LWVN’s Transportation Committee for their hard work in pulling the whole event together!
Some new info for those who attended and had questions about the numbers:
- Parking meter revenue is about $1.7 million per year ($1.1 million collected thus far this fiscal year and I expect that current year revenue will be off by $250,000-$300,000 due to snow accumulation this year).
- Parking violation fines generate about $1.5 million per year ($1.1 million collected thus far this fiscal year).
- No restrictions on the use of parking violation receipts – they are General Fund revenue.
- Parking meter receipts are supposed to be used for funding traffic and traffic safety activities. We currently use them to support DPW street lighting and transportation division costs.