Sorry Kat.

'splain to me just how you feel using our park-n-ride system system should be free when your tax dollars don't contribute a penny towards it?

What pisses me off is that this City Counsel knows nothing about fiscal restraint or operations, they would have everyone believe that they are running the City as efficiently as can be and that digging further into the citizens pocket is the only answer. When the Calgary Parking Authority collects millions of dollars in revenue annually, when the City puts a $1 million piece of art in the new water treatment plant that is a secure area not accessible to the public, when the city spends $25 million on pedestrian bridges, the waste and fiscal mismanagement of this counsel is totally out of control. I could go on for a long time with this list, my alderman and the mayor could also send you copies as I have made sure they know that I am NOT impressed with their performance. ..... OK enough venting, I feel a bit better now

Don't get me wrong; I'm not suggesting it's right and I totally concur with the above.

I'm just curious as to how Kat thinks she has a right to free parking when her Acme property taxes contribute exactly how much to our public transit system?

And I'm glad you feel better Ian...

I totally understand Dale and agree. One of the prime reasons mentioned for implementing the fee was the use of the P'n'R by commuters outside the city, but does that make it right to charge everyone? I wish there was a was to charge a small fee to the outside area users, but we know that a plan like that would be very difficult and probably cost more to administer than the revenue it would bring in (especially if the current Counsel were involved in the planning).

Ald. Ric McIver said: "(The parking authority) is in the business of making money through parking. We need to thank them for doing their jobs well," he said.

"But at the same time, we need to regulate how enthusiastic they are in bringing in that money."

If the authority's projections for 2009 pan out, it will have netted around $65 million in surpluses since 2007. Parking fees brought in around $45 million in revenue in 2007 and 2008, leading to surpluses of around $22 million each year.

The authority is projecting revenue of $47.9 million this year and a $21.2-million surplus."

In my opinion the City has it wrong, they are NOT running a business based on profit margins, where they are competing in a market driven environment that realize the same costs of operating as an independent business. They are a service sector monopoly whose role is to provide necessary services and infrastructure within the means or their constituents. While many employers are cutting jobs, freezing wages and seeing revenue drop sharply the city just keeps taking more. Just one department at the City, Parking, is projecting a 100% increase in profits this year.

OK, I'm happy again and feeling great for the day, now I have to drive downtown and park my car

I'll be curious to see how the profits actually work out. I have a feeling with this new parking meter system they have in place that revenues will not be what they are forecasting. I, for one, have yet to pay for parking downtown and have one ticket to show for it in 4 months. If they still had meters and meter-maids, I'd be plugging quarters in every meter I parked at. That picture-taking Saturn Hybrid SUV can't be everywhere at once and I'll continue to take my chances as I haven't got time to search out a pay machine every time I stop. I suspect 95% of all couriers are doing the same thing. If 300 or more couriers are not spending $2 to $3 a day on parking meters, that's a $15 to $20,000 a month hit...just from the courier segment. How many thousands of other people are now doing the same thing? Now, if they step up the patrols with 3 or 4 more picture takers, I might change my approach...

Should I even mention how people are getting laid off, the city council HAS to raise taxes...Oh, and give themselves a raise too?

On the parking- the meter maids are still out, Darth has had his picture taken by a guy walking around, and I just got a ticket in the mail yesterday from the aforementioned saturn. That thing can drive around at 40k giving out tickets and I don't know how many of them there are, but I think it's pretty efficient. I'll be taking my chances less often.

Just be aware, they can get you while you're on your way to pay (I would assume if payment shows up within 5 minutes of the picture, you won't get a ticket, but you never know), or in the case of one of my co-workers, she got a ticket and it shows her still sitting in the car searching for change! They dropped that one once she pointed it out.

My buddy got a ticket sitting in his car with it running and the lights on... you do have to be careful

My dear Dale, Calgary Transit is not funded only by the City of Calgary.

It gets some moolah from provincial and federal as well (which, I may not pay calgary taxes, but I do pay Alberta and Canada ones!)

You know, if they were actually going to do SOMETHING with this money, instead of vague promises of 'better security' (which I have yet to see at McKnight) and 'cleanliness', I may not disagree so much. The fact that NO ONE has seen a budget of how they plan on spending this money....is what has me steamed. If they were to say "okay, more trains, and trains that will run in the winter weather" then I wouldn't complain.

The fact is, yesterday I parked at McKnight (I was running late so train SHOULD HAVE been faster than the 301). Paid my three bucks...and...what do you know? *BEEP* Due to mechanical failure, there is a 15-20 minute delay on the McKnight line. Sorry Calgary Transit, having supposed cleaner trains doesn't help me here.

You're right, I don't pay Calgary taxes. I don't think I could even AFFORD Calgary taxes...even on my tiny lil half lot house. Would I mind paying some form of MONTHLY fee for parking? you know, I probably wouldn't mind doing it that way. The park plus system is just stupid though. I'll have every day a three dollar charge on my credit card...whee!

I heard one of the stops on the south line has 'guaranteed/reserved' parking for $50/month.

I would rather not pay this, but at least then, hey look! its fifty bucks! once!

as opposed to the 60+ by many 3 dollar charges.

Just something to add though as well, a point to ponder for you Calgarians.

The cost of transit (bus pass + parking) now equates to almost $7.00/day. Well, if you have two or more people to carpool, you can get a parking spot downtown for the same price. (note to Ian: it's not gonna be James Short or anything...but it's within walking distance) If I could manage to carpool with the lass from Beisiker, we could have done that. Sadly, she works different hours than I do, and her hours just won't jive with my legals.

As I said, if they were actually going to do something to IMPROVE service, I'd be all for it. As for how it stands, I simply see it as a bloody cash grab, and nothing more.

Wow, this post was lucid, rational, and well thought out... are you feeling OK??

Ouch! Come on now darlin, even I am allowed to make sense from time to time!

**edit cause I saw this and it made sense...from the Calgary Herald**

You have 5 minutes to plug and play (once the picture has been taken) before the ticket gets processed. This is a fact, not some urban myth. If the photo SUV goes by, best be finding a pay machine. Sitting in a car with the engine running is no excuse. In the days of meter maids they would knock on your window and tell you to plug the meter or move along. Failure to do one or the other would result in a ticket being mailed to you if you managed to leave before he/she had the ticket written up.

What's the definition of "stopped"? Last I checked, it's legal to stop to drop off or pick up someone (which ALOT of people do in the area I just got ticketed). I thought it was longer than 5 minutes. No stopping zones excepted of course.

Athal does raise another interesting point.

You're not "entitled" to anything. Because you were previously dealing with humans and they have the ability to make a judgement call, you were given time. This new machine does not have that ability. I do not know if the operator can override anything or if the process is completely computer controlled. One would hope this system has a link to the police computer and notifies police when it sees a missing vehicle...