Phoenix trailhead parking fees city council vote

[Moovyoaz]

Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I would like to remind you that the Phoenix City Council votes this week on enforcing the Parks Board's recently approved fee to park at preserves. This would be yet another new fee placed upon the taxpayer in Phoenix, while very little of the burden to balance the budget has been felt within the city's organization -- all so Phoenix can afford an average cost of labor of almost $100,000

The council needs to see and hear from you about your position on this new fee before it is too late. Round up all your neighbors and come to the council's Formal meeting this Wednesday at 3 p.m. in the City Council Chambers (200 W. Jefferson Street). There will be an opportunity to speak if you would like, and even if you cannot stay until the end, you can fill out a card stating your position. Please see my column below that outlines why I will vote against this fee.
Respectfully,
Sal DiCiccio
Councilman District 6 - Ahwatukee, Arcadia, Biltmore and North Central
602-262-7491 council.district.6@phoenix.gov
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The latest citizen sacrifice: Hikers
The city of Phoenix is getting ready to bleed yet another passionate segment of its citizenry, hitting them up for a few more dollars because they truly care about a narrow aspect of city life and are willing to pay more for it.
Then the city will turn around and give that money to its employees. There is insufficient backbone to say no.

This time it’s the hikers
You’ve seen this movie before: Threaten to kill or severely cut some service with passionate (or desperate) supporters. Offer up a disaster scenario if more money isn’t produced. Then, after the initial wailing and public apoplexy, come up with a slightly lesser fleecing of this group to gain public compliance. Hey, it’s only a few bucks and it will keep our (fill in the blank) hiking trails, softball fields, library hours, etc. etc. etc.

The Oscar for this performance came during the budget hearings, where police, firemen, libraries and seniors centers were offered up as sacrifices to the fiscal gods if the public didn’t approve a $50 million food tax. Take a wild guess where all the public hearings were held? Libraries and senior centers, naturally.

The ugly truth is that the $100 million in new taxes and fees Phoenix has already imposed on its citizenry in the past seven months is not necessary to keep those services and protections. It’s to find enough money to pay for 14,000-plus union-represented employees who average $100,000 a year in compensation.

The parking fee – at trails you already pay for three ways – came about after the city drastically cut services and hours for parks, then gave the parks board the notion that if it didn’t raise money for the general fund, much more would be cut. That’s where the $5 a day parking fee came up (later reduced to $2 – hey, a comparative bargain). Then the city management promised that all the new dollars would go to parks.

First off, management can’t guarantee that. Even the Council can’t guarantee that.

On Sept. 15, the Phoenix City Council will be asked to approve enforcing this latest rummage through your pockets (3 p.m., Council Chambers, 200 W. Jefferson). No Council approval, no new fee. I say it’s time to separate the taxing-and-spending addict from its drug, which is your money.

If you want to learn more, contact us. Or show up at the Council meeting and tell Phoenix it has enough of your money already. And be sure to send this around to your email list.

Councilman Sal DiCiccio represents District 6, which includes Ahwatukee, Arcadia, Biltmore, East Camelback and North Central. He can be reached at council.district.6@phoenix.gov.

[Dave1]

It never ends...

City of Phoenix Parks and Rec. Dept. will be holding an Open House next Wednesday to discuss the potential parking meters at Phoenix mountain trails.

http://hikearizona.com/files/pdf/Mounta ... _House.pdf

[Tough_Boots]

It'll probably pass. City of Phoenix is all about parking meters right now. They just extended the hours of all meters downtown to 10pm.

[FOTG]

@Dave1
It will pay to be a fast hiker literally. Dave you should never have to bring more than about 25 cents for others maybe a little over a buck to get a hike in..

[outdoor_lover]

Well, isn't that Special! Now you have to try to estimate how long your Hike will be...It's not like you can just run out of a Building to put more Quarters in! And God forbid you sprain your Ankle, it takes you twice as long to get down and then you have a Ticket when you do....Wonderful! Time to go elsewhere....

[The_Eagle]

@Outdoor Lover
You are showing your age....
http://media.scpr.org/images/news/2010/05/05/meter6.jpg

[joebartels]

They'll need a guard or video surveillance to keep those from getting bashed. If they monitor the surveillance would it be less opposed?

[outdoor_lover]

You are showing your age....

More like...I just don't Park anywhere where there's Meters...And even if I had a Credit Card, I sure wouldn't use it on one of those!

[chumley]

All the modern ones let you pay by using your smartphone. You can probably even "add quarters" while nursing your broken ankle on the mountain.

[outdoor_lover]

All the modern ones let you pay by using your smartphone.

What Smartphone? I don't have one of those either....I guess I have to pay Money just to have "Money" to use their Damn Meters...I think if the City of Phoenix does this, I'll just pass on their Parks...There are other places to go....

[SpiderLegs]

Sounds like it is getting serious now: http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valley ... serves.php

But it looks like it will only affect Squaw Peak, Camelback and parts of South Mountain.

[RowdyandMe]

But it looks like it will only affect Squaw Peak, Camelback and parts of South Mountain.

Well I not much on the touristy hikes, so that shouldn't bother me.

[SpiderLegs]

But it looks like it will only affect Squaw Peak, Camelback and parts of South Mountain.

Well I not much on the touristy hikes, so that shouldn't bother me.

I usually only hit those peaks once a year just to say that I've done them. Won't affect me much either. Wonder if they will come up with a season pass like some of the county parks, especially if you want to do a long hike or mountain bike ride so it won't cost you $10 to park each time. The $75 a year park pass for the county parks pays for itself in about a month for me.

[Dave1]

@Widowmaker
I'm sure they'll stop after Camel, Piestewa, and S. Mnt. The city isn't greedy ;)

[RowdyandMe]

Meters on Ivergordon? I can do a up and over from Cholla side.

[Dave1]

@Widowmaker
That's easy to solve with a "no parking anytime" sign. Wait for it. Same for the neighborhoods around the preserves.

[FOTG]

@Widowmaker

Well I not much on the touristy hikes, so that shouldn't bother me

Says the guy who regularly leaves from and just hiked from First Water TH :whistle:

Does not get much more "touristy" then first water ;)

[FOTG]

@Dave1
I believe we call that a slippery slope...

[chumley]

I'd rather they don't charge at all, but if they are going to then they MUST provide an annual pass for regular users. And anything over $20 is unreasonable.

[Bradshaws]

I work for the City Of Phoenix ;) so, I think, better yet "I know" that there has been a HUGE oversight! Much like MANY of the city best laid plans they have failed to consider WHO will enforce this. Downtown parking detail is very shot handed as is EVERY city department and the police department could care less about parking violations. So they are depending on the people to enforce themselves And as we all know, ALL laws, no matter big or small are only obeyed by the lawful.

The City of Phoenix has zero foresight. I understand what they're trying to do. They see FREE money sitting at that parking lots but they don't have the understanding it requires to obtain it.
They think that a parking meter will make people pay money but what make people pay money to parking meters is FINES, not a ticking clock.

The people that make these rules and regulations only care that the "money making idea" makes money on paper. They don't care what it takes to bring it to fruition. In their eyes, the job was done once their pen stopped moving on their signature.

It's something I deal with everyday