I understand the environmental motivation behind this and I'd welcome any measure that would prevent further layoffs. But I wonder if now is the time for this.
Unless I absolutely NEED to buy something in particular, I generally won't patronize a business if a parking fee is involved. Before my office moved to Westwood, I rarely did business there for that very reason. Businesses in Westwood are notorious for having difficulty staying afloat, mainly because of the expensive lease payments their owners have to pay. But I wonder if part of the blame lies with people taking their money elsewhere to avoid the concomitant $8 parking fee, like I would regularly do.
With the economy still in the red, a spontaneous drive to Baskin Robbins to buy a $5 sundae is less attractive when there's an additional $3 parking fee tacked on. The dissuasion from shopping caused by high parking fees could be mitigated, in part, by a robust public transportation infrastructure. However, public transportation--in L.A. anyway--is laughable at best. I hope this move doesn't inadvertently encumber commerce in the state even more than is already the case.
No comments:
Post a Comment