smart meter
Looking for ways to balance our 2011 budget the Mission Viejo city council just concluded a Special Election to install parking meters in our city. While we cannot force the strip mall owners to charge for parking on their lots the city will install these state-of-the-art credit card meters along Alicia Parkway, Marguerite and La Paz to generate revenue to take care of our crumbling streets and deferred maintenance. These new funds could also “pay to clean and maintain the sidewalks, plant trees, improve lighting, remove graffiti, and provide other public improvements.”
This new policy was triggered by recent recommendations by our parks and recreation commission to install meters along Felipe and Olympiad for all the parents whose children play on these city fields as an offset to the cost of keeping these facilities in excellent shape. In addition to Beebe, Gilleran and Curtis parks, meters will also be added at each of the other off-street ballfield parking lots at Alicia and Marty Russo parks.
The price for parking will be higher when demand is higher. This will keep parents from hogging the limited space to watch double headers. After all, we’re talking about capitalism at its finest.
Let’s eliminate the “free parking” entitlement that our residents have taken for granted. Let’s not overlook the Mall where we paid to add one and renovate the other parking structure.
Think about it. We can than hire fifty meter maids to create jobs and generate revenue simultaneously. This becomes a win-win for everyone parking while shopping or playing in Mission Viejo on this April Fools Day.
smart meter
Looking for ways to balance our 2011 budget the Mission Viejo city council just concluded a Special Election to install parking meters in our city. While we cannot force the strip mall owners to charge for parking on their lots the city will install these state-of-the-art credit card meters along Alicia Parkway, Marguerite and La Paz to generate revenue to take care of our crumbling streets and deferred maintenance. These new funds could also “pay to clean and maintain the sidewalks, plant trees, improve lighting, remove graffiti, and provide other public improvements.”
You can attribute this fiscal fiasco to Trish Kelley, Frank Ury, and lance MacLean. These three folks frittered away over $11.0 million in reserves–for much needed items like:
A Rose Parade Float
Bleacher Shades for our baseball fields
Bogus Dog Park studies
Montenoso Street Calming
20th Year Anniversary celebrations
Photo easels –quickly junked
17 late change orders to the Murray Center Expantion
An out of control Public Works Director
Excessive legal Council billings
These are just a few items !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Jack.
I’m sure the council will be happy when the day ends. You have to wonder how many readers in MV are cautious when parking their vehicles today.
*Outsourcing the Parking Meters is a new trend. We did it here in Newport Beach……so those
so-called high-techy meters will not be far behind. If you drive down PCH in Corona del Mar you are now suddenly met with sign pollution “1 Hour parking” 7am to 6pm…..this has taken our little village from friendly to…..we can’t wait to be like Torrance!
It is nice to see that Mission Viejo’s upper crust is not totally against “New Technology”…..can
HSR…be far behind?
Email reply:
Hi Larry:
When we went to NYC a couple of years ago, we encountered the credit card parking…..
The economy is so tight yet our elected officials want to take a few more dollars from their citizens. There has to be other ways….tighten the budget and stop thinking about a 1,000,000. dog park
All the best,
XXXXXXX
Part of a second email response.
“Larry, I wanted to make a factual correction to your article/post, in that this item never came to the Community Services Commission for any vote or recommendation.”
Larry, the article is unclear. Does the city bill the credit card company. Or does the Credit Card Company bill the city? .
double indemnity. Go back and read the post.
It was an April Fool joke, posted on April 1st, that some missed including a director in our city government.
You might also have read where Frank Ury and myself have kissed and made up as blogged by Juice author Geoff Willis on that same date.
Neither story is true.
Larry, Glad it was a an April fool Joke, because I think there will be rebellion in the streets!
We never visit Laguna beach now after a meter maid gave me a ticket . By the way, they all have stiff necks , I put the ticket upside down on the wiper.All I recieved was a ‘WELL,IT WAS UPSIDE DOWN:! from the police station.
colin.
Apparently there are some in our city who fail to read the bottom line.
Installing parking meters is the last thing I would support.