Re “On Monday, paid parking will debut at Balboa Park” (Jan. 4): Thanks to reporter David Garrick for the impact analysis city leaders failed to conduct regarding its Balboa Park paid-parking decision.
The city has not determined the costs of the ripple effects: fewer visitors; reduced museum, theater and restaurant revenue; possible staff layoffs; impacts on members of the many clubs that call the park home; increased parking in adjacent neighborhoods; cost of increased tram hours; costs for signage, kiosks and repairs when vandalized; costs of a system for visitors who challenge parking fines; and more. Making non-residents pay more to park, and requiring people to pay $5 to a data broker to determine residence status, only adds insult to injury. The short-sightedness of disadvantaging our nearby non-city residents is head-scratching. Greatest harm is to lower-income individuals, especially children, who no longer can visit.
I’m convinced paid parking will cost the city more than it raises in revenue. In short, this is a mess.
— Beth Givens, Linda Vista