The city of Bloomington has voted to eliminate free parking and raise parking rates throughout the city in an effort to increase revenue. This means that starting Aug. 15th of 2019, parking garages, meters, passes and tickets will all cost more — in some cases even twice as much.
This will be a significant financial burden on both Bloomington residents and students living off campus that depend on street parking.
According to US News, 64 percent of IU students live in apartments or houses off campus. Many apartments have parking lots and some houses have driveways, but many do not. Without included parking, students and residents must purchase a neighborhood parking pass in order to park on the street near their place of residence. Currently, these parking passes are $25. With the proposed rate increase, the prices for these passes would increase to $45.
This is almost twice as much as the original cost, which is a significant financial burden for a parking space that is not even guaranteed. If all available parking spaces in the neighborhood are filled, then these pass holders will be paying $45 for nothing. Residents know this before purchasing a parking pass, but the price increase only adds to the inconvenience.
If it is necessary for rates to increase, then the city of Bloomington should work to ensure that everyone who has a pass can at least find a parking spot. For example, perhaps some parking lots in the city with more limited requirements can designate spots for people with neighborhood parking passes.
This amendment will also limit access to city parking for fraternity and sorority members. Many sororities do not have enough parking spaces for all of their residents with cars, so neighborhood parking is necessary.
Therefore, many students depend on these parking passes. This will require them to pay more for being a productive member of the community and even ensuring their own safety.
Jim Blickensdorf, chair of the city's parking commission, presented this proposal to city council, stating that the increased revenue generated by raising these fees is necessary to cover the cost of the parking facilities themselves. According to financial data from 2017, Bloomington's parking is running at a $73,000 deficit.
Despite this, surpluses have allowed city parking to keep functioning in the black, but instead of this being the result of an efficient system, it is largely made up of cash flow from the parking meters and tax increment finance.
From this data, it seems that the system itself is inefficient, and raising the parking costs is a temporary fix.
The Bloomington City Council voted in favor of this proposal Sept. 19, but there is still time to engage with the community and voice your own concerns about this issue. All city council meetings are held every Wednesday in the Council Chambers, 401 N. Morton St., at 6:30 pm. They are open to the public. This engagement is necessary for making a change that will benefit both students and the entire community.
