During an international crisis decades ago, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher famously told President George H. W. Bush that it was not the time “to go wobbly.”
Which leads me to wonder this:
Is there any way we can get the Sarasota City Commission to channel some Margaret Thatcher right about now?
Please?
Is there any way to prevent the commissioners from going wobbly and ditching the city’s current paid parking policy?
I mean, what needs to happen?
Do they need to start brewing cups of Yorkshire Tea?
Do they need to binge-watch the “Paddington” movie series?
Do they need to link arms for an impromptu sing-along of Oasis’ “Wonderwall”?
The commissioners are going to cave in
I don’t know.
But I do know this:
I wouldn’t get my hopes up for a display of fortitude and guts from the city commissioners when they hold their August public sessions on the extended paid parking hours.
You know, the August public sessions that the commissioners scrambled to set up because people around Sarasota – including in the downtown area – have been in an uproar since the city expanded paid street parking to 8 a.m. to midnight during Mondays through Saturdays and 1 p.m. to midnight on Sundays.
You know, the August public sessions that will likely see the five commissioners cave in to the pressure and call for reversing what’s now in place.
A cave-in that will occur despite the fact that:
I couldn’t possibly list all of the reasons why this would be a horrible move for the commissioners to make.
But let me give you these three:
Extended paid parking is a teachable moment
If we’re up in arms now about having to pay more to park longer in Sarasota, can you just imagine how much grievance-soaked caterwauling we’ll be hearing if the November property tax amendment is approved?
If the city suddenly starts charging people for services and resources that were once free?
Because that is going to happen if cities like Sarasota take the financial hit that property tax “reform” will inflict.
We might want to consider that as we whine about paying a few more bucks to keep a parking spot after 8 p.m.
Enough with ‘Make an exception for me’
Yes, I know.
Many Sarasota churches and downtown businesses have big issues with the current paid parking arrangement.
Yes, I know.
They say it should be scrapped because it directly affects them.
I get it.
And I empathize with their concerns.
Really.
But, look, I don’t like having to wait forever when I want to make left turns on Fruitville Road.
If I wail “Wah! Wah!” for a bit, do you think the city commission could give me an exemption on left-turn waiting?
I mean, seriously, how far are we going to go with this whole “Make an exception for me” mentality?
People will still complain anyway
Let’s face it.
The people who now say Sarasota’s existing parking policy is driving them to eat and shop instead in Lakewood Ranch and the University Town Center will be the same ones soon complaining about how difficult it’s become to park in Lakewood Ranch and the University Town Center.
And once the city commission waves the white flag and drops this policy, these people will be the same ones complaining about hard it is to park at night in Sarasota because drivers are once again hogging up parking spots for free for hours and hours.
Nope, the city isn’t going to win either way with these folks.
So shouldn’t it continue to collect the extra money it’s getting by writing more parking tickets?
Now if the city would like to take action on me having to wait for left turns on Fruitville Road . . .
Opinion Editor Roger Brown can be reached at roger.brown@heraldtribune.com. Follow him on X at RBrown_HTOpin.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota politicians going soft on paid parking. That’s lame | Opinion
Reporting by Roger Brown, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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By Roger Brown, Sarasota Herald-Tribune | USA TODAY Network
