Montgomery County’s operating budget is in a deep, tar-filled pit, but Silver Spring’s citizens advisory board has an idea or two about how to fix that.
Photo: Members of the citizens advisory board at Monday night's meeting in Long Branch. Credit: J. Deseo/SSP.
At its monthly meeting Monday night in Long Branch, board members proposed higher parking fees and a greater reliance on free labor to cover some of the projected $608 million shortfall in the fiscal year 2011 operating budget.
Board member Constance Wynn, of South Four Corners, said she’d be willing to pay $1.50 per hour to park in downtown Silver Spring’s public garages. That rate represents a 100 percent increase from the current $0.75 short-term hourly rate. Debbie Linn, a board member from the Sligo-Branville area, said she didn’t want to pay that much but was willing to take a $1 hourly rate.
Either way, it’s a problem, board member “Southside” Evan Glass, of South Silver Spring, and economic-development guru Mel Tull argued. According to them, the Town Square and Wayne Avenue public garages next to the Downtown Silver Spring shopping center have a 20-year agreement with the county to waive parking fees after 6:00 p.m. weekdays and all day on weekends.
That means the weight of any rate increase shifts to public garages in Fenton Village, South Silver Spring, and along Spring Street, they said. And that translates to bad news for neighborhood businesses that must compete with nearby shopping malls and their ample free parking, Tull said.
In addition to higher parking fees, board members suggested the following revenue streams: a county gas tax, a luxury tax, a fee for ambulance services, and no decrease to toll rates on the Inter-County Connector highway. They didn’t go into details.
Along with hauling in fresh cash, bridging the budget gap would mean trimming the fat, board members decided. The problem is, operations at Silver Spring’s regional center are already looking gaunt, Reemberto Rodriguez, the center’s director, described.
“The regional center has taken a 13-percent cut over the last couple of years,” Rodriguez told the advisory board. On top of budget cuts is the new expense of running Silver Spring’s civic building, set to open this summer, he said.
The regional center, which represents the county government’s executive branch in below-the-Beltway Silver Spring, already axed this summer’s “Silver Spring Swings” concert series from the budget — a savings of $24,000, The Gazette reported last week. Conversation during Monday night’s board meeting also mentioned an end to landscaping services.
And that’s where volunteerism can come into play, board member Marilyn Seitz, of Woodside Park, said. Area gardeners can pick up the landscaping slack in public areas, and local musicians can donate their talents to public concerts, she suggested.
The regional center’s Rodriguez, a proponent of “civic engagement,” indicated he was very interested in that.
The board’s other recommendations for cost savings included: outsourcing, deferred maintenance of roadways and other public structures, an end to tax credits for developers who add affordable housing to their projects, and an emphasis on having private companies sponsor public events. Again, they didn’t go into details.
With all the proposed slicing, dicing and julienning, board members said they weren’t willing to part with certain items: public safety, education, affordable housing, youth programs, mass transit, energy-efficiency programs in apartment buildings, and operations at the new civic building.
MoCo exec Ike Leggett held a budget forum Monday night in Germantown and holds another one Tuesday night in the Briggs Chaney area. He swings into Long Branch on Jan 21.
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I don’t know who this Constance Wynn is but I hope she not an elected official. If she is – she will absolutely never get my vote. If she wants to pay extra for parking she can gladly write a check out to the County. Taxes and other fees have gone up significantly in Maryland in the last few years and I think it is absurd to pay $1.50 an hour to park in Silver Spring.
When will these people learn that you cannot tax you way out of a recession. This plan only pushes people with cars to areas where they don’t have to pay to park. Keep the money in the pockets of the people to spend and, I know this might be a tough one for government, live within your means like the rest of us.
I know who Constance is — a good neighbor and good citizen — who apparently recognizes that giving 20 years of free parking is contributing to several problems we face.
While unionized county workers rake in hefty wages and handsome COLAs, musicians are supposed to play for free? You got to be kidding!
I suggest musicians boycott the County if that were to pass. That’ll bring out the scabs, but at least we’ll know who is who.
This is a no-brainer. People will always pay to park close to the metro. Raise it to $2.00 – fees have been way to low for way to long.
“Raise it to $2.00 – fees have been way to low for way to long.”
Nah, I’m with JKS, gut the unions pretty pay days and ridiculous pensions. Stop messing with hard working middle class people who want to park and spend time in downtown.
I think $1.00 should be the minimum. And higher might be okay, too. Face it, folks: Your parking has been subsidized. This is not taxing you out of a recession. It’s charging fair market value for something that’s been done on the cheap for a long time. Quit yer bitchin’ and fork out an extra quarter. Or two. Or more.
Ms. Wynn maybe a great neighbor and citizen but she obviously does not have the pulse of the neighborhood. If you did a poll my guess would be that a strong majority of the people would NOT support a 100% increase in parking fees as she suggests for the downtown garages.
I am not sure what problems free parking has created in Silver Spring. I would disagree – free parking has stimulated the downtown area which was previously quite depressed. Adding parking fees will encourage people to go to the malls or outer suburbs where parking is free.
Yes. Additional driving in DC-area traffic to save a couple of bucks for a longer walk would most definitely help people. (NOT) Revenue generated by even a small increase would more than offset any potential shift in spending to other areas. And when you think about the cost of parking in other metro areas, drivers have had it much too sweet around DTSS.
Downtown Silver Spring will be a ghost town if this all goes through.
I’ll pay higher parking rates if and only if the county goes to cash-card meters. I usually ride the bus to work, but dragging $8 in change around on the rare day when I have to drive and park at work is incredibly stupid.
>>Area gardeners can pick up the landscaping slack in public areas<< WTH? Are you serious? Maybe a Boy Scout troop or some group like that would like to jump in and take over a one-time landscaping installation project, but you need to look elsewhere for ongoing maintenance.
Don’t know Ms Wynn but she has her pulse on reality. Look at what DC pays for parking and my understanding is that parking fees will extend into the evening. Also- I’m sure that the county is not able to raise gas taxes. I have friends that live in Prince George’s which is less affluent than MoCo and they don’t have a problem with ambulance fees.
“The board’s other recommendations for cost savings included…an end to tax credits for developers who add affordable housing to their projects.” “With all the proposed slicing, dicing and julienning, board members said they weren’t willing to part with certain items: public safety, education, affordable housing, youth programs, mass transit, energy-efficiency programs in apartment buildings, and operations at the new civic building.”
If you end tax-credits for afforable hosing, then you end affordable housing. Also, thank god we aren’t will to part with operations at the ugly, waste of money new civic building. Because it’s not like there wasn’t something there already that cost no money and everyone loved. Oh wait….
But hey, at least it’s cold enough that ice-skating doesn’t seem so bad!
“…have a 20-year agreement with the county to waive parking fees after 6:00 p.m. weekdays…”
If so, someone’s dropping the ball here. The gates on Wayne Ave consistently stay down and they collect payment until 8pm weekdays.
I’m curious as to why half of the parking meters vanished at the Spring Street/Cameron parking garage – I drove in one day and two whole levels of meters were gone and replaced with permit parking. Most of which is empty. Still trying to figure out how that makes any fiscal sense.
“Look at what DC pays for parking and my understanding is that parking fees will extend into the evening.”
Silver Spring isn’t quite DC. I might as well go to Bethesda, they have a better selection of restaurants, bookstores(!), and way less BS kids littering up the place. I’m guessing local businesses’ll love that.
“…local musicians can donate their talents to public concerts…”
Yes, we all know how affluent musicians and artists are. Why would they need to anything as mundane as “earning money” to live?
A great way to generate revenue would be to support HB 52 sponsored by Delagate Smigiel which would recognize concealed carry weapons permits from states contiguous to Maryland. This bill would authorize those citizens with permits in PA, WV, VA or DE to safely transit the state border without surrendering their rights at the state line. The State of Maryland would benefit from the revenue that these people would bring to our state because the antiquated laws on self-defense currently discourage them from visiting and conducting business. The plan if the bill passes is to share the wealth amongst the counties.
Yes! Guns! THAT’S how we rebuild our economy and close the budget gap! *rolls eyes*
There are plenty of areas in DC that do not charge for parking on the weekend and evenings. This includes high-end areas like Friendship Heights and the U-Street corridor. I like Silver Spring alot and have chosen to live here, but we should not compare it to the District. If we want to continue to see growth we must make it car and pedestrian friendly, which includes adequate and reasonably priced parking.
I wonder how much the County paid for the parking space availability signs in the Fenton and Wayne garages. For the first couple of years the garages were open the signs showed absurd numbers for available spaces — numbers clearly not tied to reality since there are no sensors in place to detect open or occupied spaces. The County needs to stop wasting money before officials can expect buy-in on raised fees, etc.
I wonder if Delegate Smigiel refers to his gun as “the precious.”
I wonder if Delegate Smigiel refers to his gun as “the precious.”
Why don’t you ask him. He’s a former U.S Marine, a hunter, shooter, weapons collector and a life member of the NRA.
Let’s agree to disagree on the Second Amendment and stick with what was described in the article above. Thanks.
2nd amendment? We were discussing the budget gap…
Discourse is obviously challenging for some who post here – the necessity for some to take personal swipes when one can’t find the words to defend a position is disappointing…
Sorry Dogs Rule, There is absolutely no evidence that Maryland’s admittedly ridiculous gun laws are keeping people from visiting and spending money. I honestly don’t think MD really has a tourist problem, have you been to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor/Annapolis/Eastern Shore in the summer?
Silver Spring is a growing area and to remain vibrant we cannot chase people away who want to visit by charging them money on the weekends to park. Yes, we’re metro accessible, but the parking garages are packed on the weekends and if people have to begin paying to park I’ll bet many will stay away. This is a horrible idea and will create a terrible atmosphere for local businesses.
We can do better JG. According to a new study by George Mason University’s Mercatus Center, Maryland residents have less personal freedom than the residents of any other state.
Maryland fares better in terms of economic freedom, coming in at 34 out of 50. Overall, the study rated Maryland the fifth least-free state in the country.
HB 52 is a way to start to turn that around. With less draconian restrictions comes industry (including the recently tapped into $70M/yr movie industry…) This legislation would make a positive impact to our State’s bottom line.
I agree Silver Spring is growing and vibrant – and folks who live and work here should expect to pay fair market value for services – including parking.
Hai GunsRule, thanks so much. I keep trying to get to Silver Spring from rural Pennsylvania, but when I get to the border and realize that I can no longer (legally) carry a concealed weapon, I shake my head and return to my remote woodland lodge, where there is NO DSW; NO Eggspectations. If only serious, freedom-loving people would take a good look at HB-52.
Back to the parking rate issue…The demographics of people who cater the businesses in DTSS is changing. There has been several new apartment buildings that has and will be opening soon in DTSS. With the addition of thousands of new people to the area- these are the future consumers of DTSS. These folks will be walking to the DTSS and not take their cars. In addition, once the ice-skating rink and the Fillmore are open for business, there will be an increase of people traveling to the area via public transportation.
The number of cars that can park in the DTSS is limited and the amount of available public parking is rapidly decreasing. When the new library opens up in several years, it will suck up any available parking spaces left in the Wayne Ave. garage. An increase in the parking rate will have very little or no impact in the number of people that visit DTSS.
This conversation btw is exactly why we need something like the penguin and why Jennifer leaving us is going to leave a huge void. However, tj, you say that an increase in the parking rate will have no impact, my point is that there is NO parking rate currently on the weekends and at night (the article mentions a 20 year agreement, though I’m not sure when that began and will end.) If you eventually add one, people will definitely think twice about coming back. Why go to McGinty’s or shop at DSW (or wherever) when you can drive to a mall and do the same for free? That’s my concern. And for the record, I don’t care about driving myself, I walk since I live a 5-10 min walk to Ellsworth.
There may be a few people who won’t visit DTSS because of the increase in parking but I believe that it will be easily offset by the increase of people who are moving to the immediate DTSS area and who travel by public transportation.
Anyways, a 0.50 cents, 0.75 cents or whatever increase in the parking rate is not going to make a dent in the hundreds of millions in dollars in the budget deficit that the county is forecasting. The county needs to take more drastic measures like implementing ambulance fees. Why people are opposed to this I do not understand. The insurance companies would be issued the bill. Most insurance companies already cover emergency ambulance transport as part of their coverage. Individuals who do not have insurance would not see a bill. In addition, Montgomery County is the only idiot county in the area to offer free ambulance service to people outside the county. Does this make sense to anyone?
“The county needs to take more drastic measures like implementing ambulance fees”
Great point. I’ve yet to see a good reason why this hasn’t happened.
tj, how do you know all those people will walk to DTSS? Some of them may just hole up in their high-monthly-cost apts playing Wii or World of Warcraft or even Sim City. The goer-outers may head into DC.
Doubling the parking fee might send some drivers into surrounding neighborhoods — a bad thing in every way.
I’m tired tired of demonizing cars. The ambulance fee is troubling; it might spur an uninsured person to avoid calling when s/he really needed to. We need an income-based tax system that is far more progressive. And we need to stop dreaming that more people is the answer to every problem.
“The gates on Wayne Ave consistently stay down and they collect payment until 8pm weekdays.”
The gates are down until 8pm, but if your ticket is stamped after 6pm, the charge when you leave is $0. They only collect fees until 8pm if you arrived before 6pm. After 8pm it’s wide-open.
“There are plenty of areas in DC that do not charge for parking on the weekend and evenings. This includes high-end areas like Friendship Heights and the U-Street corridor.”
Not sure about FH, but I’m pretty sure U St. is included in the new parking regulations that extend limited/metered parking hours to 10pm weeknights and all-day Saturday. There are lots of parking changes in DC as of 2010.
LuvMyHood- The folks who are worried about paying an extra dollar or so are probably not the same folks that are visiting the downtown restaurants, AFI, etc. These are probably individuals looking to loiter at the Borders or attend the free concerts in the summertime.
Regarding your point on people not calling an ambulance because they are afraid of being charged- this continues to be a scare tactic used by those who, for whatever reason, do not want the ambulance fees. The county has done a public awareness campaign to alert residents that they would not be charged for using the ambulance. Maybe you can get the word out to people you know that no one who calls an ambulance in an emergency situation will be billed.
It’s been my experience when looking at paid parking in a setting such as DTSS, if the rates go up, people will still pay as long as the final cost is still relatively low. So if you pay $.75 an hour to park now, and the cost goes up to say $1.50, then you won’t really care because you are still only paying $1.50, not the highest cost ever.
Regardless, parking is still free on evenings and weekends, so really this only affects those who park during normal business hours M-F. This means the group most affected is the one who really has no choice but to pay – those who either park and work in DTSS, or those who park and metro from DTSS. It’s the same basic reason why parking near metro’s is seldom free during normal business hours M-F, if it were, everyone would use the free parking to leave there cars when using mass transit, and people who actually patronize DTSS business would be hurt.
So in a way, it helps DTSS, by ensuring that a meaningful population of the people who park there are actually doing something meaningful in DTSS (work or play).