...of the Seattle progressive leadership? Raise parking fees to get people out of their cars? Or, is it to raise costs so much that businesses cease to exist in the city?

City blinks on parking rates, hours — in one neighborhood, at least
http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020353092_chinatownparkingxml.html


Before someone simply lames out and calls me a RWWJ, it's about balance. Pugetropolous hasn't had political balance for decades. Idealism is fantastic, until reality kicks you between the eyes.

I'm not sure I expect that Seattle's progressive leadership has a thought process beyond "pluralism is representative government." Making sense, efficiency, consistency, and fiscal logic aren't inherent attributes of the process.

As for parking fees, an economic assessment would point out that if priced too far below market value, you'll never find an open spot; and if priced too far above market value, revenue will drop with many vacancies. Priced right and the city maximizes revenue with a balanced supply of vacant spaces to be had. Other logical reasons affected parking prices are if vehicle congestion is perceived as being too high, then some of that congestion can be priced out of the area with higher parking pricing. Lastly, it isn't the city's job to price parking for the benefit of individual or clusters of businesses. If parking is essential to the existence of a business, then that business should include parking as part of its facility. But that would be a logical type of analysis, which is not the province of either progressive liberal nor conservative types of government.

They don't have these problems in cities not run by progressive liberals.

Oh wait.............yeah they do.

Someone call me when businesses cease to exist in downtown Seattle, k?

In 1973 I had a urban geography professor tell the class Portland was going to do away with cars in the down town core area.
I was amused with this concept, 40 years later I think he might be right.
The best way to get rid of cars is make it hard and expensive to park.
Mass transit is the future, like it or not.

At some point the expense and hassle won't be worth it and people will instead use mass transit.

Maybe my "cease to exist" was a bit of hyperboly...? Dan, I wouldn't expect for you to see any gray in one of my comments. When you say you're going to light someone on fire, do you? Or, are we supposed to see some gray in those comments?

Salmo hit it again. Not much to add.

Really just found the article to be something that could have been written back when these parking fees were increased. It was predictable, yet our elected officials couldn't see past the the sure dollar. Progressive is what we have, if our officials were TeaPartiers I'd have used that term. I'm not an apologist for either side.

Illahee, check ridership for the Sounder, SLUT, passenger ferries that have come and gone, etc. The only mass transit system that works in this area has been buses. Metro has serious financial/funding issues but it doesn't help that billions have been thrown down the rathole that is Sound Transit. Commuters from Olympia to Marysville aren't seeing any benefit from the billions wasted so far. Not to mention what it's done for taxpayers in this region.

Look 50 years down the road and tell me how running an occassional train down BN's line into Seattle at the cost of hundreds per ride is going to help business or commuters.

Some balance might help the region, but it ain't gonna happen.

The Bon Marche. About a week after they closed Pine St.

Just sayin-

I parked last winter in downtown Charleston. Wandered around looking for a pay meter. A cop was watching me with a chuckle. First thing out of his mouth was, "You must be from the West coast."

Portland vowed 30 years ago there would be no more major freeways built in the Metro area, the city has opted instead on a 35 mile East West light rail, North South lines run to the airport and Clackamas Town Center and from downtown to the Expo Center.
New lines are being built to Milwaukie presently.
Down town has trolleys running on many side streets.

http://trimet.org/maps/railsystem.htm

Seriously? You asked this question?

First time I ever had the pleasure of eating sushi was as a wee lad in Seattle. While many rolls have rice, this had smelt eggs. True story. Hated Seattle ever since.
A city of nothing but sky scrapers. It's like an asian New York..Except it lacks any sign of character.

NYC= fuhgeddaboudit

SEATTLE=furagretabroutit

There's a fine line between sushi and bait, I think you might have crossed that line.

My Grandparents lived in The City (SF) while I was growing up (50s-60s). My Grandmother didn't drive. We took the streetcars to Downtown, the Zoo, Stonestown. If necessary, we took the cable car to the Fisherman's Wharf area. Really didn't need a car to get around then.

Why do they call themselves "Progressive" when everything they do goes backwards?

Only thing Cali has on Warshington is a 10 year head start.

Is there something that keeps you here sniveling instead of heading off to some conservative wonderland like Kansas or Missouri where they don't get bogged down by progressive liberal idiots?

Not sure 'bout Kansas but Misery is starting to get bogged down by "progressive liberal idiots".

Kansas is what I think Dante would describe as....almost as close to hell as texas.

Two words: Joe Diamond

Uhhhh...............I'm not the one sniveling about the place I currently reside, but thanks for paying attention any way.

The question was why don't you crybabies just move on off to where liberal idiots are few and far between, where you can avoid all these liberal-caused problems?

Is it that you're just not happy unless you're sniveling about something?