With reference to my letter (published Weekend Sun 15/10/10) regarding the parking account collecting $18.7 million over the last four years and finishing up with only $2m left ‘to pay for car parking acquisitions, current and future car parking buildings' and Mayor Crosby's response that ‘[to] consider reducing or removing user pays parking revenue both off and on street, then that will have to be made up by rate funding in some shape or form.':
1) The parking account has actually subsidized rate funding by $2.9m for ‘buses, bikes and boardwalks'. If this amount had been charged directly to rated funding, the potential increase in rating should have received what my old classmate, Councillor Bill Faulkner, classes as ‘needs or wants' and the expenditure may not have happened.
2) The parking account would now contain $4.9m plus extra interest.
3) Ignoring any contribution from out-of-towners, the ratepayers on street parking charges have contributed $4.6m, so there is little difference in the direct financial result ($4.9m v $4.6m) regardless of how the money is extracted from ratepayers. If there were no on street parking charges, there would obviously be a decrease in costs as well, so the net total would rise from $4.6m. Whether this amount is charged directly or indirectly is obviously a political decision - the responsibility and liability for that rests with the Councillors.
4) Best Management Practices stress that managers must not only be consistent in their actions and decisions, but must be seen to be consistent in their actions and decisions. So, for the managers (Councillors) to be seen to be consistent – either charge for all council street parking (i.e. Greerton, Mount Maunganui, Cherrywood, Eleventh Ave and CBD.) or don't charge for any on street parking. Again – political decision, Councillors' responsibility and liability.
5) Again, to be consistent, as parking times are restricted close to the CBD, apply the same limits to street parks close to the various shopping centres in the city.
I would like to publicly thank Mayor Crosby for his assistance in obtaining the parking account figures. The FY2007 annual figures were first requested in late 2007. After a direct request to his worship, they were finally supplied (along with FY 2008 and FY2009) on 12 January 2010.
Allan Gifford, Tauranga