Great Way To Make People Quit Parking on The Street, Boost Off Street Parking Rates
Friday, November 1, 2013 @ 3:48 AM
First off you want to spend a million and a quarter getting a new pay parking system for the downtown streets. When that doesn’t fly, the Council says we are going for half million dollar scheme to recognize license plates and Oh by the way you people who don’t flaunt the parking by law and have a paid parking spot , we are going to nail you to the wall.
What is so bizarre in all of this, is that the downtown is not exactly what you would want to call a bee hive of activity.
When the offices close for the day, so does the downtown.
The City wants to see that improve so they put another barrier in the way of trying to encourage people to come downtown. Has the City not been looking at their inventory of land in the downtown town? Has it occurred to them there is no demand, hence the reason the demand has been outside of the core.
And please don’t compare us to other cities unless of course those comparisons are reasonable and the comparisons used are anything but.
And please Madam Mayor don’t tell the folks to use public transit unless you insist that you and your fellow Councillors arrive by bus and return to their homes that way. It is another case of "do as I say not as I do". Although there could be cost savings if taxpayers no longer had to pay for a vehicle allowance for the Mayor and instead opted to buy a bus pass for the Mayor.
Finally when you look around at the cost of taxes and services in this city they have been rising by leaps and bounds. Could someone explain to me why we need all of this additional money when we were supposed to be enjoying up to 10% savings in every department at city hall?
I’m Meisner, and that’s one man’s opinion.
Comments
Compared to other cities the price is still reasonable but then again this is PG…
There are firms downtown that are just renting space….they can move you know…if their employees are being abused by parking rates…they will move. Lots of building taking place outside of the City downtown core….somebody better wake up at City Hall, before it’s too late… ;)
It is too late!
How is the little electric car doing?
“Lots of building taking place outside of the City downtown core”
The new sports store on Victoria is outside the downtown core. Did they not get some special parking stall size/numbers relaxed conditions?
The head BMO bank was allowed to move to Central and 15th when they are supposed to have been downtown according to zoning/OCP.
The Canada Pipeline office was allowed to move to the new “dental” office building on 5th. They were given an exemption to have a larger office than accepted under the OCP/zoning outside the downtown.
Swiss Chalet is coming to town .. to Domano.
It will not be too long before someone will build an office building in the Domano-HWY16W area and will seek and get an increase in the size of offices allowed there now.
LEAKAGE and further SPRAWL. Just show them the money and they will turn their heads the other way.
The Lights are not glowing bright at City Hall.
Well written, Ben. One more year and we, the taxpayers of Prince George, will have our say at the polls again at the next municipal election. There will be changes!
If people want to chance parking on the street and dodging tickets and the tow trucks, let them.
At $110 per month, that’s about $5 per day. Is it really worth it to run out of your office every two hours?
As Ben would say, stupid, stupid, stupid.
i hope the rate increase is applied to staff that works at City Hall and parks in their lot too….
JohnnyBelt. $5 per day may not be much to a **high roller** like you, however for those people who work downtown on lower wages, some of them minimum wage, this is a big cost. Say it fast and $5.00 per day doesn’t sound like much. Extrapolate it over a year and your looking a $1,250.00. Which would be approx. one months wages after taxes, etc;
In any event, this is not about the City needing money. It is about the Cities inability to function with the money that we provide them with. In actual fact they are rolling in dough, and debt. They have completely lost their way, and we need a forensic audit of City Hall to determine where the hell our money is going.
We are constantly being bombarded with tax and service increases. Some of them border on the ludicrous, while at the same time we are pissing money away on the Winter Games, Boundry Road, Wages and Benefits for staff, workers, and management, etc; etc; etc;.
Who do these people think they are??? Are they really so inept that they cannot see that this taxing has gone far enough. Who the hell is in charge of City Hall?? Anyone??
People should start raising hell about this increase to off street parking, and other increases, such as the **stupid** and I mean **studid** tax on rain water.
Palopu: “JohnnyBelt. $5 per day may not be much to a **high roller** like you, however for those people who work downtown on lower wages, some of them minimum wage, this is a big cost. “
You don’t get it do you? How much will it cost to start your car up every two hours and move it, while plugging the meters all day? I would think $5 is a bargain compared to that.
If you can afford to drive a car and all the associated costs that come with it, you can afford $5 a day to park.
I swear that the city is forcing businesses out of downtown so they can buy up the land cheap and sell it to big private companies such as the new Delta hotel and who knows who else.
The latest is the coming drainage fee, totally inapplicable and unfair to people from whose property not a single drop of water runs into a storm sewer.
Yes, Palopu, you hit the nail on the head with: It is about the City’s inability to function with the money that we provide them with.
To dismiss the increase of the 110 dollars a month as a bagatelle and not warranting moving a vehicle every two hours is disrespectful to people who simply cannot afford it, as unbelievable it may appear to some!
I don’t think Ben believes that what those people might do to be “stupid, stupid, stupid.”
JohnnyBelt your living in a dream world.
Owning a car has nothing to do with your ability to pay for parking. Owning a car for most people is a necessity of life.
All the associated costs of owning a car are one of the main reasons that we should not be sticking it to people for parking.
What we need in this town is **very** cheap parking in the downtown, and in the parkades. On those streets that are outside of the Victoria, George, St. 1st Avenue 7th Avenue **Square** parking should be free. Inside that area it should remain as it is now.
This issue is about revenue for the City so that they can maintain their fancy life style. It should be about looking after taxpayers and tax dollars.
If you wonder where the money is going take a look at the council agenda for Monday.
$355,723.13 sole source contract for SpeeDee Office experts to supply office furniture to the new RCMP building. Why does a third of a million dollar purchase not go out for bids? From my experience Speedee is not exactly the cheapest place to buy supplies and it is not like the need for new furniture popped up unexpectedly.
The gun cabinet and lockers going sole source is a little more understandable…..but office chairs and desks and waste baskets…..facepalm!!!
On the parking issue I have to laugh at mayor and council who could not raise business license rates to at the very least cover costs(or better yet have a one time license) because is would be a hardship for the owners but have no trouble doubling parking rates.
Kinda makes a person understand why a downtown accounting firm would spend $200k in office improvements on North Nechako to get the hell out of the core.
My accountant just told me he’s moving his business out of the downtown – across the Nechako river to the Theatre Northwest building.
I’m happy about that.
you nailed it Ben….unbelievable….everyone I talk to is completely disgusted and the next election cant come fast enough
I think we should get a group of people together that can afford a tow bill or will donate towards a tow bill and we should all go fill up the city parking lot in the early hours before the city employees get there. As soon as one is towned, pull another one in. Maybe this little “protest” would get their attention?
Palopu: “Owning a car has nothing to do with your ability to pay for parking. Owning a car for most people is a necessity of life. “
I’m afraid this is where we differ. Owning a car is not a god given right. It is a privilege. There are other modes of transportation much cheaper than an automobile.
People who own cars choose to do so and fully understand the costs, stop treating them like idiots.
If I was negotiating for a job with a firm that had a downtown office, one point would be the parking costs. If it’s $150,00 per month, I expect that my employer would pay it. The way to get this done is to lower the price of off street parking in parkades etc. and nail the people who park all day in one spot with heavy fines. If I had an employee who had to run out every 2 hours to move their car, I wouldn’t be happy and would consider it a waste of work time. For 5 bucks a day, I would pay it just to keep my employees focused and efficient.
” For 5 bucks a day, I would pay it just to keep my employees focused and efficient.”
And that is exactly what the City is counting on! However, it leaves those whose employer does not cover parking fees out in the cold, where they belong – according to some snobbish remarks above.
God, by the way, has nothing to do with this mundane cash grab!
The next election, eh? On this site are a bunch of folks who are opinionated, wise, unwise, focused and knowledgeable about the shortcomings of our masters at city hall and on and on. But when the rubber hits the road come next November, 80% of the incumbent ninnies will be re-elected by the other 31% of the population who might happen to get off their butts and vote. And we will be again at our computers (us being the regulars) whining and bemoaning who got elected again. How do I know this? I’ve seen it before. As for our downtown? Flog that dead horse again. It is to laff if it wasn’t so sad.
I think your somewhat right Harbinger, however we can make a difference.
As an example we could have a public forum for those running for Council run by taxpaying citizens, rather than the news media, or the chamber of commerce who think up all the questions.
How about a question like.
a. Do you support a PAC in Prince George BC.
b. Were you in favour of all the tax and service increases in the past 3 years, and will you continue to be in favour of increases.
c. Do you think it is possible to downsize the Police, Fireman, City Staff inside and out, and City Administration, and still provide the same services.
4. Would you consider putting all the money collected from Gambling, Police Fines, Gas Tax Revenue, and Revenue from the sale of City Lands into roads and infrastructure for the next five years.
etc; etc; etc;
If I had access to $81,000 dollars without owing anyone I think I would run again. Problem is, if you want to get elected you have to sell your soul for every vote. I refused to do that. I spent $307 of my own dollars. Talk about low budget, eh? “We got you elected. You owe us”. It’s how it works.
And I was against the PAC. So there.
And I was against the PAC. So there.
If you run again I will vote for you!
BTW, I am not against a PAC if the taxpayers vote in favour of it in a proper referendum, thereby indicating that the majority is willing to assume yet another financial liability in the form of increased property taxes.
For almost all the people I worked with at two major employers (from teenager to retirement) a private vehicle was a complete necessity in order to be able to work there. No public transportation, no bus, no rail, too far to walk and too far bicycle. Too far for two taxi cabs daily and because of shift work not many opportunities to car pool.
When many years ago I tried to make a claim on my income tax for gasoline and depreciation it was flatly denied because I was not a business.
This is the reality for being gainfully employed, personal transportation was not a luxury item.
You got that right Prince George.
To say that a vehicle is a privilege is a strange take on the situation. Especially in the North where there is terrible public transit, and 6 Months of winter.
Palopu: “To say that a vehicle is a privilege is a strange take on the situation.”
Only to those who feel self-entitled.
Wow!
a. Do you support a PAC in Prince George BC.
Parent Advisory Committee?
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How about: Do you support giving a private business such as TNW over $100,000 per year so that theatre goers are subsidized by about $5 per person/performance?
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b. Were you in favour of all the tax and service increases in the past 3 years, and will you continue to be in favour of increases.
That is two questions. In addition, how does one distinguish between not being in favour of some, but in favour of others.
It is stupid questions like this that confuse smart people. Luckily we have few of those on this site, but I think we have a higher proportional percentage of smart people in this town.
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c. Do you think it is possible to downsize the Police, Fireman, City Staff inside and out, and City Administration, and still provide the same services.
That is 5 questions, one of which is a duplication
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4. Would you consider putting all the money collected from Gambling, Police Fines, Gas Tax Revenue, and Revenue from the sale of City Lands into roads and infrastructure for the next five years.
This is like the answer the Mayor provided … she can find 10% in each department, but she will not require them to reduce by that 10%.
Sure, I will consider it …. There I have considered it and decided not to do that.
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That was easy, and I remained honest throughout he whole little game.
BTW, who is in favour of reducing the grant to TNW by $90,000 starting in 2014?
“Too far for two taxi cabs daily and because of shift work not many opportunities to car pool.”
Why is it that I see mill buses picking up people at various times of the day around our neighbourhood? Is this a secret and private method of transit?
The cost of a PAC …. $15 to $20 million to the City, the rest to the province and the feds with say $5 to $10 million from individual fundraising from philanthropists, corporations, and patrons.
The cost of operating an maintaining the facilities – $150,000/year.
The cost of operating the core events – $150,000 to $200,000 per year.
Reduce the donation to TNW by $100,000 and the operating costs of the Playhouse of some $100,000/year, the event operations will cost no additional dollars.
The reduction in heating, maintenance on the Playhouse will offset some of the costs of facility operations.
On the plus side of the ledger would be the increase on opportunity for additional types of events which we cannot stage at the moment. It would go a long way to developing a city which is ready for the next generation of companies and workers who would be interested in, moving to this community.
There is not a single organization in this community that has come forward to put the full business plan in front of the people in Prince George. When that is done, we all need to vote on it like mature, knowledgeable, unbiased people.
gus: “When that is done, we all need to vote on it like mature, knowledgeable, unbiased people.”
You just made me spit my soda all over the keyboard. :-)
At least somebody accomplished something positive!
|Gus. You are a **hoot**. You are so caught up in your self importance and high energy intelligence, that you actually believe your own crud.
If the people who run for Council cannot answer the simple questions put to them as noted above that is their problem. You seem to presume that they would react to the questions the same way that you do. Forget it. There is a significant difference between waxing philosophically on these posts, and answering questions in the public domain.
My point was that we need some questions to come directly from the people as opposed to vested groups, who make up stupid questions, that are then answered in general terms, and have little or no meaning.
Gus. It seems you cannot even come clean on the behind the scenes shenanigans that have been taking place with the Performing Arts Centre. Money from the City, money from IPG, setting the stage for selling the Playhouse to get that revenue, and then kiss ass the Province and the Feds for more money. All the while disregarding the people who have to pay.
Seems to me the administration and maintenance costs for the Port Theatre in Nanaimo costs about $450,000.00 per year.
Furthermore with all your enlightened intelligence perhaps you would be so kind as to give us some indication as to what type of performances we could expect in an 800 seat performing arts centre. How often they might be held, how much money they might generate, and who in (your humble opinion) might be the biggest ticket buyers.
In my opinion this facility will be used almost exclusively by those who are in support of it. ie; approx. 800 vested interest people. We the taxpayers will only get the opportunity to pay for it. Those who make donations will get their names put on the backs of chairs, and they can sit back and have a hell of a good time.
Put your money where your mouth is. If you think this is such a great idea, then go to a referendum and have the issue settled once and for all.
How about waiting a week or two after our city’s $111 million dollar debt is paid off to build a PAC? Would work for me.
New office space is available on Ospika! Free parking in the back, brand new building. Hurry the spaces will fill up fast as businesses leave the downtown core!
“Gus. You are a **hoot**. You are so caught up in your self importance and high energy intelligence, that you actually believe your own crud.”
You must have been looking in a mirror when you wrote that……. except for the intelligence part ….. ;-)
“Gus. It seems you cannot even come clean on the behind the scenes shenanigans that have been taking place with the Performing Arts Centre.”
Why are you making the accusation that the City kept anything other than the potential site(s) behind closed doors? Did you not pay attention? The information you bring forward here was all brought forward in open Council and much of it on this very site.
“Money from the City, money from IPG, setting the stage for selling the Playhouse to get that revenue, and then kiss ass the Province and the Feds for more money.”
Sorry fella, getting the feds and the province to fund parts of cultural infrastructure is the way most such projects in Canada are financed. The other two contributors are the local government as well as private donors and philanthropists. There are very few cultural projects which do not get such support from higher levels of government.
All of us pay to build such projects in Canada from federal tax pockets and from our provincial tax pockets in BC.
The Chilliwack PAC is one of the few that received very little support from the feds and province as I recall. Chilliwack put up the bulk of the money. Maybe that tells us that farmers are richer in money and in culture than lumberjacks ⦠;-)
Here is a link to one item from the Council meeting in June 2011 when Bates made what I considered to be a weak proposal to the feds to have the PAC considered as a P3 project that the feds would contribute 25% max towards. In my opinion the entire financial side of the application as made public to Council was so weak any junior financial analyst could see the holes in it.
http://princegeorge.ca/cityhall/mayorcouncil/councilagendasminutes/agendas/2011/2011_06_27/documents/Cty_Mngr_Performing_Arts_Centre.pdf
Surrey made a submission for 4 proposals. In my opinion that was the right move. Four diverse projects since one did not know what would cause a twinkle in the eyes of the fedâs selection team.
â¢A regional-scale trade and consumer show building on the Cloverdale Fairgrounds;
â¢A regional-scale performing arts centre in City Centre; (they already have the Bell Centre which is superior to our Vanier Hall)
â¢Guildford and South Surrey Pools, and North Surrey Arenas replacement, and
â¢A biofuel production facility based on organic wastes.
The last one was accepted and ended up being a project costing more than $60 million.
http://fraservalleycommercial.com/2013/09/the-biofuel-facility-of-surrey
And to think we cannot even manage to get central recycling service in PG.
The City of PG was not ready for this proposal call, even though they knew very well that these calls for P3 infrastructure improvement projects were being continued.
We knew at the time that we would be putting in a proposal for the winter games and that Kin 1 would have to be renewed soon whether we got the games or not. That could have been a project to submit. Would have made the hockey crowd happy and would likely have been supported by the community much more than a PAC.
I guess one cannot win them all. Maybe with a new procurement head at City Hall, we will be more prepared to make successful submissions.
I do not know how many we apply for and what our success rate is. The operation of the underground lair.
However, we knew about the PAC though while there are some others which we did not know about or care about until the proposal the City made were accepted.
So quit making up stories ….. ;-)
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