Parking seems to be the new arena in which University students are being attacked by the Downtown Development Authority - a local government agency that has a notorious history for proposing increases in meter rates and resisting the development of parking structures. The Ann Arbor City Council recently passed legislation that will increase parking fees by 20 cents an hour, from 60 to 80 cents, and raise the price of a parking ticket from $5 to $10. On top of that, the DDA recently recommended to the council that free parking on Sundays should be eliminated. Local government officials do not seem to understand the everyday concerns of University students and the economic effects of their decisions on the business community.
Currently, University students do not have adequate access to parking facilities. Taking free parking away from students on Sundays - when they have more time to shop or go out to eat - is wrong and should not be approved by the council. The expenses associated with attending the University, including tuition and everyday life expenditures, already place students and their families under tremendous financial duress. Life in Ann Arbor is more costly than in many other cities in the state, and charging students for Sunday parking will just add to the high cost of living in this town. Eventually, life in Ann Arbor is going to become too costly for some students to attend the University - something that would severely hurt the city's businesses and economy.
Beyond the concerns about University students, charging for parking on Sundays can only have a negative effect on the business community and the overall condition of the town's economy. Local businesses are at the mercy of the council's parking decisions because their clientele need a place to put their cars while they peruse downtown merchants. Free parking on Sunday gives people outside of the downtown area an incentive to come to the city's commercial sector for a day to shop and browse without worrying about whether there is enough money in the meter. In addition, many people like to stroll through the Diag or the Arb on a Sunday afternoon to relax or walk around. Leisurely activities that people enjoy engaging in every Sunday will certainly be curtailed if parking is no longer free.
Although many University students do not vote in Ann Arbor City Council elections, their concerns must not be ignored by council members. Recent government actions involving increased parking rates and the recommendation of charged Sunday parking have made students feel as though the city's officials are not concerned with their problems. Extremely important issues to students like increased affordable parking do not seem to be a priority to those people who have the power to significantly affect the lives of University students - both positively and negatively. Instead, the amount of available parking has decreased because of the construction being done to parking garages and the cost of the remaining parking has increased. It's time the Ann Arbor City Council did something for and not against the students who give so much to this community year in and year out. They can take the first in a series of steps by rejecting the Downtown Development Authority's recommendation.
04-16-98
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