HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-07-20 Public Comment - S. Hinkings & R. Gillette - MSU RPPD - viability and increased feesFrom:Chris Mehl
To:Agenda
Subject:FW: MSU RPPD - viability and increased fees
Date:Tuesday, July 7, 2020 10:41:51 AM
Chris Mehl
Mayor, City of Bozemancmehl@bozeman.net406.581.4992________________________________________From: Susan Hinkins [hinkins@mcn.net]Sent: Tuesday, July 07, 2020 9:08 AMTo: Brit Fontenot; Ed Meece; Cyndy AndrusCc: Chris Mehl; Chuck WinnSubject: MSU RPPD - viability and increased fees
We have lived at the corner of 5th and Garfield since 1983, before the MSU RPPD was created. The biggest benefitwe immediately saw from the RPPD was a significant decrease in car traffic. We were therefore distressed to readin the July 9th Parking Commission agenda that the Parking Program Manager does not consider that the RPPDs aresustainable in the long term. He proposes increasing the permit cost by 50% (from $30 to $45) while he also pointsout that increasing the permit price will not solve the problem, because as the cost rises, fewer permits are sold. Byhis own analysis, increasing the cost of the permit is not a viable approach to the problem.
The estimated 2020 FY loss for the RPPDs is approximately $54,000. In a different exhibit, the Parking Fundfinancial report shows that, with the FY year almost ended, the total revenues are approximately $200,000 greaterthan the total expenditures. So overall, the Parking Fund will be in the black by the end of the year. The samereport shows over $300,000 in revenue from citations. In a previous year, it was noted that the MSU RPPDcollected $100,000 in fines (6/13/2019). This is revenue generated by the RPPD and it would be reasonable to makechanges in the City Code to allow all, or part, of the collected fines to be considered as revenue to offset theexpenses for the RPPD.
The chief advantage we get from the RPPD is NOT an ability to park near our house. Except in the summer, we stillcan’t do that. But we would hate to go back to the increased traffic, noise, and illegal parking (across our driveway)that we saw before the RPPD was created. We urge you to work with the City to change the Code so that some, orall, of the revenue generated in citations can be credited towards the cost of the RPPD.
Please share our concerns with the City Parking Commission.
Thank you.
Susan Hinkins and Richard Gillette
1122 South 5th Ave
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