Raise Your Voice (or Keyboard) to Get San Diego City Council to Reform Downtown Parking Meter Rates — Thursday, April 16 — UPDATED

The City continues to charge $10 per hour at downtown parking meters during Padres’ games and other “special events”.

Padres’ fans are definitely not the only ones subject to this outrageous fee, which starts two hours before the event, and continues for four hours from the event’s start time, for a total of six hours.

The area subject to this $60 per event fee extends well beyond any logical boundaries, all the way north to Broadway, and east to 17th Street and the I-5.

Worse, it’s a devastatingly regressive tax, because it penalizes renters who don’t have off-street parking, and can only park at meters. It hurts downtown’s restaurants and small businesses, who lose customers who can’t or won’t pay $10 an hour to buy groceries, mail a package, or eat a meal.

It’s also a huge burden on our service workers, many of whom have multiple jobs, live far from downtown, and can’t use mass transit to get downtown. Before Mayor Gloria imposed the “surge” pricing, these workers could park for an hour or two (at $1.25 an hour), until their meter expired, and stay there for their shift. There’s no way they can afford $60 to park for a shift.

Councilman Raul Campillo wants to reduce the hourly fee and limit the area where it’s charged.

If you agree that we need to reform (if not eliminate!) this fee, please attend or call-in from your computer at tomorrow’s (Thursday, April 16) City Council committee meeting at 9 am on the 12th Floor of City Hall, at 202 C St.

Here’s the link the the agenda, that has the information on the item, and how to call in to the meeting, you need to scroll down past the memo the see the agenda.
It’s Item 5.

Also, here’s the info specifically on how to call in with a comment:

The link to join the Meeting Webinar by computer, tablet, or Smartphone is:

To join by telephone:

Dial 1-669-254 5252
When prompted, input Webinar ID: 160 340 6084#

Meanwhile, use this link to submit a comment on the item:

And here’s more info on Campillo’s proposed amendment to the “surge” pricing ordinance: