Dear Editor,
I read the parking problem solution letter sent by Steve Gutman.
I completely disagree with part 2 of his submission. I own my own house in SE PDX and pay abominable taxes on it. I categorically refuse to support paying to park in front of it. I lived in New York, DC and Boston and one thing I like about where I live does not have to deal with parking systems like those cities use. Further, his idea that residents should pay $50 PER MONTH is utterly unrealistic. That is $600 a year! And it’s not even tax deductible. That is just crazy. Further, it is not enforceable.
If a neighborhood did enact such a system, car parkers would all shift to other non-permit areas, forcing those to enact such systems, and before long, Portland starts to feel like New York.
There are better ways to fund street maintenance – such as a motorized vehicle mileage fee, a bicycle registration fee or bike purchase surcharge, and fees/surcharges for studded tires.
There have to be other, reasonable means to manage parking.
Rod Richards