Seattle is about to elect a new mayor and last night there was a TV panel discussion with the various candidates. Coincidentally one of the questions focused on various rates of pay for downtown parking according to area.
The response by one candidate bears reflection and I paraphrase his comments: "parking fees are not meant to compensate for shortfall in revenue, but to aid congestion. The city must keep in mind any negative effect on businesses."
Prince George cannot be compared to Seattle, but this candidate's opinion as a governing principle, or philosophy if you wish, certainly is interesting in light of our council's decision.
I wonder what response a Seattle mayor or city council would have to the idea of spending more than $1 million dollars from a debt reduction pot in order to compensate city revenue shortfall some five years or more down the road? I understand the concept of good debt, but isn't that what drove the 2008 economic collapse?
It will be interesting to see if parking congestion is ever a problem in our downtown and sure hope so for the sake of the viability and growth of same.
Jeannette Paterson
Prince George
