Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Public in favor of parking fee hike?

Today's story - right smack here - about the Knox County Commission willing to postpone a parking fee increase to employees has ticked off a number of people. At least according to some of the voice mails I've received.

Anyhoo, a little background: The commission during yesterday's work session began talking about forming a committee comprised of employees to determine what the Deathstar workers should pay to park under the City County Building. Later it was rephrased to a committee comprised of "employees and citizens." That's a little better, I suppose. Cause, you know, it's not like employees are going to willingly increase their own parking rates.

I figure nothing will come of this. The commission kicked it down the road and over to the city and county administrations where it will probably remain dormant until someone reminds them about the matter next summer. Or whatever.

So, back to the ticked off people. That would be upset the residents who pay more than government employees to park. One woman told me that when she retired in 1990, she paid "$48-something" to park downtown, and she also had to walk three blocks.

"They're getting a bargain," she said. "I think it should go to $60. Those employees are on the gravy train."

Now, right or wrong, this is pretty much the outside sentiment.

I really don't see this one getting revisited. Politics and all. Best to hide.

3 comments:

fischbobber said...

"They're getting a bargain," she said. "I think it should go to $60. Those employees are on the gravy train."

So let me get this straight. An employee who has to pay an employer a sixty dollar a month kickback in order to park his/her vehicle on the employer's property is somehow on the gravy train.

Explain to me again why a tax hike to fund critical thinking skills in our school system is unwarranted.

Mike Donila said...

Yeah, personally I think the employer needs to pick up parking costs - at any job.

Brian Paone said...

Especially considering how much we pay the bulk of our public employees. It's not a lot.