By Associated Press - Thursday, February 20, 2014

CINCINNATI (AP) - The latest proposal for Cincinnati’s parking system calls for buying new meters, instead of higher rates and longer meter hours.

Mayor John Cranley said he will ask City Council to buy $2 million worth of new meters that accept credit cards and also to hire more enforcement officers. Cranley hopes to get approval of the plan within two weeks, The Cincinnati Enquirer (https://cin.ci/1gL5S8W ) reported.

“If we just make it easier for people to pay and if we enforce current hours, I think we’ll see increases in revenue,” he said. “That will be used to put additional cops and firefighters on the street.”

Cranley was elected in November after campaigning against city officials’ plan to lease out operation of the parking system in a long-term deal that offered an $85 million up-front payment. The officials had said much more money could be reaped from city parking to help budget needs, but Cranley said it was important to keep control of operations. Some business owners and residents had expressed concern that rates and penalties would jump.

There has been recent discussion about requiring parkers to pay meters for longer hours - currently 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in downtown areas - and also increasing rates.

A business owner, Mark Rogers, applauded the new plan, saying it makes sense to bring the parking system “up to snuff” before considering new hours and rates.

“Now we have a leader who is going to try to maximize an asset instead of compromising it,” said Rogers, president of the Oakley Chamber of Commerce.

Councilman Chris Seelbach, however, said parking changes are “being rushed through in pieces rather than engaging in a fully thought-out approach that makes our parking system work best for businesses and neighborhoods.”

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Information from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, https://www.enquirer.com

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