Stall big meter increases

SEATTLE City Council meets today to discuss budget woes, and part of the conversation is about how much to increase parking rates. Three words of advice: Easy does it.

Meters and pay stations are producing like slot machines for the municipal treasury, so one might expect a shortsighted decision to greedily boost hourly rates to help cover a projected $19 million deficit into 2010.

Times reporter Sharon Pian Chan laid out of the taxonomy of rate-hike proposals, and the priciest leap from $1.50 to $2.50 in downtown Seattle, Pioneer Square, the waterfront, Belltown and the Chinatown International District. Ouch.

Parking around South Lake Union would go up 75 cents an hour to $2, and Pike-Pine, First Hill, Broadway, Uptown, Ballard and the University District could rise from $1.50 to $2.

None of these are inconsequential for motorists who are also covered by names such as shoppers, patrons, patients, clients and diners.

Beyond a pernicious downturn in the economy, the parking increase comes at time of transit-fare increases. Maybe somebody is doing a fancy financial and political calculation folks can be had one way or another. All the other local taxes approved by voters and pending increases in utility rates might be mixing apples and oranges, but they all get factored into the fruit salad of household budgets.

The golden goose of city revenues is a vigorous, thriving downtown community busy during the day, and fun and active at night. Nipping at the lucrative edges can be self-defeating. Consumers, et al, have the choice of staying out of downtown and saving more than a few coins at meter-less shopping malls.

City Hall is proud of its expansive new bicycle plan for the community. How about installing more bike racks downtown and in surrounding neighborhoods? Make an obvious and visible statement that bike riders are welcome and anticipated.

As for a general increase in meter rates, we are not saying, "Give them no quarter!" But quit hyperventilating over a pot of gold. Start with a 50-cent increase downtown, and 25 cents elsewhere.

Easy does it.