As a student and a resident of First Street, I was particularly angry after reading Dianne Selden's article on Tuesday about Athens City Council's proposed ordinance to increase parking fees. She wrote that if the ordinance were to be passed, violations of 24-hour parking limits would increase to $30.
That is absolutely ridiculous. I can't speak for every street in Athens that falls under the 24-hour parking restrictions, but I know that on First Street, there is almost no off-street parking. That means that every person who lives on my street has to take his or her car for a spin at least once a day to erase the chalk from the tires. In a town so environmentally conscious and pedestrian-friendly, all that unnecessary driving seems somewhat ironic. And not only that, but requiring people to pay a $30 fee for failing to move their car five feet down the street from their own house is petty and ridiculous.
The town does need money ' that fact can not be disputed ' but does it have to take that money in such a meaningless way? I agree with Ralph Scarmack's point of view of suggesting a solution that would help raise money for the city while also eliminating one of its problems.
But hey, maybe the point of the increase is actually to benefit the environment; four parking tickets later, I'd rather sell my car and ride a bike back to my home in Pennsylvania if it means that I no longer have to live in fear of parking enforcement.Megan Bruce is a senior English major.
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Letter to the Editor
