Somebody's going around the Back Bay taping protests to parking meters against the meter increase that went into effect on Jan. 3 as an experiment in demand pricing for parking. Scott Kennedy took the photo before he removed the tape on this meter and three others.
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Not elitist
By Greg Conyngham
Thu, 01/19/2017 - 9:35pm
The Back Bay is a different neighborhood then most people that don't live here really know. Yes, there are the upscale stores on Newbury Street and more then a few wealthy people in the neighborhood (who BTW don't typically park at meters) but there are many of us who are "working class", love the neighborhood and just get by financially like any other neighborhood. When you live here you get to know many people that have lived here for years and are not by any means wealthy. I've lived here 35 years (luckily bought a small place cheap 15 years ago) and like most of the people I know in this area I am not rich and every dollar counts. There are doormen, carpenters, the firewood guy, the delivery guy, a few cops, maintenance people and a slew of others that live here (even a few lawyers) that can't afford this change. First, there is not enough parking for residents in the area even with decreased use of cars (ZipCar, Uber, etc.) and consolidation of buildings into single family units from multi family.
I get home workdays after 6 and almost always have to park at a meter on Newbury Street and pay until 8:00 pm. So I now, as a working class single parent, have added $5-6 a day to my daily expenses so an extra $100+/month-for me a lot. Most of the people that work on the street are retail/restaurant workers making $10-12/hour and many, due to housing costs, commute from outside the city. They can't afford this up charge. And really it's doing nothing for the parking/traffic problem at least in a big way. As someone who knows most of the small, mom and pop retailers on the street it has done more harm then good. A few friends have lost staff since this started (and they expect more to go) as they cannot afford to park here anymore. And yes woo-pee! There have been a few days where it was easier to get parking-but retail sales have gone down.
I could cite many other reasons why this is a bad policy but I'll save the wall of text for another day. But it's more of a tax on the poor, who live and work here, or have businesses here, then the wealthy. I'm all for more signs of protest.
Thanks for the explanation
By adamg
Thu, 01/19/2017 - 10:30pm
Yes, for folks such as yourself, that makes more sense. Maybe the answer is something like the tunnel discount East Boston residents get.
The underlying problem that
By cden4
Fri, 01/20/2017 - 2:10pm
The underlying problem that you are facing is that the city issues more resident parking permits than there are spaces available. There are multiple ways to solve this, but you should not need to pay and park at a meter as you are doing. If the system was managed properly, you'd be able to find a resident-only space.
So true...
By Greg Conyngham
Fri, 01/20/2017 - 8:59pm
And made unfortunately more of a problem since the increase in meter rates. More people are willing to risk the $40 ticket for parking in residential spots. I can say with certainty that if you have out of state plates you will get nailed. But if you have MA plates it's a crap shoot and a worthy gamble for most. If the scanner trucks aren't cruising good chance if you park short term you get away with it. Good for them, bad for me. I advocate for towing non-residents as it sends a message. I always direct my friends to either short term parking at meters or to the more affordable garages (under the common) for longer term stays.
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