The City Council will vote on a proposal Monday to increase parking meter prices in Ballard and other Seattle neighborhoods.

The price increase would compensate the city's most recent 2009-2010 budget cut alteration.

Originally proposing a 50 cent increase in parking meter rates, Mayor Greg Nickels intent is to create additional revenue in the general fund, which funds things such as the police, social services and public safety, according to the mayor's office.

The increase to parking meter prices has been split into three tiers, which is a part of the mayor's new proposal for a parking management policy revision for the 2009-2010 city budget.

However, last week $19 million was trimmed off the budget to compensate a revision to the initial plan for funding. The initial estimate for next year's budget was based on August's economic numbers. Since then there has been a significant change in numbers.

"This was an expected shortfall due to the economic downturn," said a spokesman for council member Bruce Harrell.

The parking revision was already in consideration for the 2009-2010 budget prior to the most recent cut last week. Since then, there are now two proposals for the parking meter increase.

"There are two proposals; the mayor's original 50 cent increase and a 75 cent or dollar increase to the original $1.50 that all parking meters have as of now," said Jodie Vice from Council member Jan Drago's office. "Now with the downfall the executive and most council members are agreeing on the dollar increase, which will not occur in all neighborhoods due to the tier structure."

One of the city's options to compensate the trimming is to actually raise the parking meter prices to more than what was originally proposed, Vice said.

The first tier would be a dollar increase to $2.50 an hour in neighborhoods such as Pioneer Square, financial district, retail district, waterfront, Belltown, International District and the Denny Triangle.

The second tier would incur a 50 cent increase to $2 an hour along Pike, Pine, First Hill, Broadway, Uptown, Ballard, South Lake Union and the University District.

However, areas in the third tier will not see a change in meter prices and will stay at the current $1.50 an hour price range. These areas would be 12th Avenue, Providence, Greenlake, Roosevelt, Westlake Avenue North and the proposed Fremont, which is still taking comments for their second draft on the parking meter design until Nov. 12.

"The reason we set parking meter rates is in part to manage the use of on street space," said Ben Noble, director of City Council central staff. "For instance in downtown you can barely find a parking meter space. Instead people are having to park and pay commercial lots."

Noble recognizes there is a potential that the increase in parking meter prices could be a disadvantage, however, he also said that parking turnover could increase under the plan.

"At the moment on-street parking is underpriced and is not being utilized to its potential and purpose," he said. "People who are filling up these spots are people that work and spend about four to six hours downtown. Instead of parking there for two hours which is the intent of the meters, these people keep feeding the meters."

Allison Espritu can be reached at 783-1244 or allisone@robinsonnews.com

Chamber opposes pay parking increase

Editor's note: This letter was sent to members of the Seattle City Council and copied to this newspaper.

Dear Seattle City Councilmembers:

It has come to our attention that you will soon be considering

recommendations to raise the parking meter fees across the city, with those

in Ballard increasing to $2.00 per hour.

On behalf of the businesses of Ballard and the Ballard Chamber of Commerce, I am strongly urging you to reconsider this proposal. While I understand that you are facing budget deficits and this is one method to increase revenues, raising parking rates during these tough economic times would be a terrible mistake.

Now, more than ever, our small businesses need the support of their

government, not the creation of additional business constraints. While I've

heard all the arguments about why parking needs are decreasing, I see and

hear the real story.

Small businesses in Ballard rely on street parking for their customers. If customers find one more parking obstacle when coming to our business district, they may well go elsewhere. And if our businesses have to close, the city will lose further revenue from both the B&O and sales taxes.

If the proposed parking revenue increases would directly benefit Ballard,

the community might look at this proposal differently. But these revenues go

into the general fund and we see no specific benefit to our neighborhood.

Instead, we are given one more worry about the survival of our business

district.

I strongly encourage you to look for a different tactic to balance

the next budget. We are often told that Seattle celebrates, and is proud of,

its unique neighborhood business districts. Please reinforce this message

and do not put further impediments in the way of the small businesses in

these districts.

Please do not increase the street parking rates in Ballard.

Beth Williamson Miller, Executive Director

Ballard Chamber of Commerce