FREE VS. FEES: DOWNTOWN PITTSFIELD INC., CITY IN CAHOOTS TO PUNISH CITIZENS, VISITORS FOR ‘PRIILEGE’ OF PARKING IN CENTER CITY
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY AUG. 11, 2016) — THE PLANET and Beacon Cinema owner Richard Stanley agree: It’s an incredibly dumb idea to charge for parking in downtown Pittsfield. Stanely has strongly opposed to the idea, although official Pittsfield seems hell bent for leather to implement a consultant’s expensive advice to force people to pay for the “privilege” of taking life and limb in hand by venturing into to center city.
Where does THE PLANET or any sane, non-political entity begin to address to folly of this plan?
CONSULTANTS — Let’s begin with the consultants. The city has been screwing up parking for 50 years, but the problem is easily solved. There are enough parking spaces. Having ample spots for vehicles has never been a problem and is even less so now with a decreasing population and a declining downtown.
All things being equal (which they never are in Shire City), a city of Pittsfield’s size should have the in-house talent to develop a rational and balanced parking scheme for downtown. By farming this “problem” out to a consultant, the city wastes more money. It does this either because the conundrum is beyond the in-house talent or doing so defers responsibility for a decision — or both. The first reveals a staggering ineptness in Downtown Pittsfield Inc. (DPI), the Office of Community Development (strangely silent and invisible in this parking debate), and all of the city’s planning offices and functions. The second exposes the political cowardice that has been running this city into the ground.
DPI president Jesse Cook-Durbin said “there were a lot of logistical” challenges in dealing with parking. Cook-Durbin’s statement stands as a shameful, back-door admission that Pittsfield has no confidence in its ability to handle this situation in-house.
ACCEPTANCE — Durbin worked hard to paint a false picture and spin a fictive yarn about how wild downtown shop owners are about pay-for-parking. “For the most part, the downtown business community has been supportive.” Nonetheless, when The “New” Boring Broadsheet sent our Right Honorable Good Friend and Colleague Jim Therrien to do a story, he could only find one business owner who would express tepid acceptance of the parking scheme. That was Steven Valenti of Valenti Clothing for Men. “Should we give this a chance? Probably,” Valenti told Therrien — hardly a ringing endorsement.
Stanley, on the other hand, was adamant in his opposition: “Anybody who would think charding for parking would encourage people to come downtown, I think that person is reading from a book upside down.” THE PLANET agrees. We also polled seven downtown business owners, all well known, and all were opposed. The merchants don’t want this because it will kill business. Motorists don’t want to pay a “tax” to park their vehicles. Visitors certainly don’t want this. So what does Pittsfield do when the “shareholders” and citizens don’t want something? Naturally, they implement it.
FEES VS. FREE — In a facile attempt to justify imposing a fee for downtown parking (city would charge more for the best spaces, less for those far-away spots), Cook-Dubin told Therrien “that not enough money was being generated to maintain the city’s parking garages and lots and cover other parking-related expenses” [ED. NOTE: Therrien’s words, not Cook-Dubin’s]. The answer isn’t to charge for parking. THe city now gives nearly 75% of every city dollar to the Pittsfield School Department (PSD) for ever-declining performance. The spineless politicians the teachers’ union has in its pockets had no other choice but to bleed dry the city-side operating budget. This includes maintenance of the parking garages and lots.
The best resolution of Pittsfield’s parking problem is a three-pronged approach:
1. Reel in the PSD budget and pour the savings into tax relief. This puts more of their own money back into people’s pockets.
2. Make every parking space in Pittsfield free, for everyone, at all times. This will make the now-dreadful task of having to venture downtown a little less painful. It will generate more traffic downtown and more business for shop owners. That in turn will feed the municipal coffers.
3. Fire the parking-enforcement Nazis. With all-free parking, we wouldn’t need these self-important slugs who measure their effectiveness by how much aggravation and grief they can inflict on drivers.
Pittsfield has already placed an order for kiosk metering, well before this got to the council for approval. Done Deal, anyone? Once again, citizens had no say.
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“God is love” — The Gospel of John, New Testament
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Parking in downtown Pittsfield is such a headache. Now if its Northhampton do you charge? Heck yeah. There’s a large demand to park and only those that pay get the privilege and the city gets revenue. Economic efficiency.
Now Pittsfield there is a low demand to travel to downtown and less of a demand if you have to pay to park. Trust me how many times I said I’d head downtown but I don’t want to deal with parking and I don’t want a ticket.
Free Parking and less of a headache = Extra Incentive to travel downtown. Incentive to travel means their will be consumption hence money will be spent downtown. That creates a multiplier effect and the multiplier effect from the consumption is much higher than those damn parking fees.
Now do I get $15,000 for this assessment.
Feather, you’re to tedious. no o e goes downtown lately as far as icon.dsee the other day it was a dead road.
My feelings are hurt.
Perhaps any revenue from the parking meters can go to support Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. so that the City no longer has to support that do nothing organization. I’m sure the merchants that are not members of Downtown Pittsfield Inc. won’t mind.
Several years ago, in the face of all common sense, the city over rode existing parking regulations and gave special permits for certain business and condo owners on North street. What did they think was going to happen when they created a demand that exceeded capacity?
Many of Pittsfield problems can be directly tied to favors granted to special interest groups.
What are you talking about? Your story is completely and utterly fictitious.
There is not one need for me to ever go downtown. I do not patronize downtown Pittsfield. Take your parking fee and put it where the sun don’t shine!!!
It is very unfortunate to see that some people are not interested in taking advantage of what Pittsfield, and the rest of the Berkshires has to offer. If you took a moment to look past all of the negativity that Dan highlights from here on a weekly basis; Pittsfield and the Berkshires are not that bad of a place to call home.
This past Monday night I saw an unbelievable and FREE concert on the Pittsfield Common, part of the Shire City Sessions. Kathy Lloyd kicked things off as the MC and Eli “Paperboy” Reed was amazing! The couple hundred people at the show would probably agree with me on this one. Wandering Star, Balderdash Cellars and and a great food truck supplied all of the food and beverages and there were so many kids taking advantage of the recently renovated playground and basketball courts, it brought a smile to my face. The last Shire City Sessions free concert is this coming up Monday night (8/15), with Kat Wright and the Indomitable Soul Band. Instead of complaining, come out and see what is really happening in Pittsfield. You might surprise yourself and actually have fun in downtown Pittsfield.
Last Friday, I volunteered at Barrington Stage Company, helped hand out programs and got to watch “Pirates of Penzance” as a thank you for volunteering. This show is as good as any production that you would see on Broadway in New York City, except you can expect to pay double for a ticket on Broadway.
Tonight is opening night of Berkshire Theater Group’s “Beauty and the Beast” community theater production and I cannot wait to see it. They have been rehearsing for this show since the beginning of June and their one week run is today through next Friday. I’m checking that after going to District for some drinks and food before the show.
So, if you choose not to embrace all of what is great in Pittsfield and the Berkshires, then please continue to complain here on-line.
Peace out!
D-Man, I understand what you are saying. My wife and I enjoy all that the Berkshires have to offer. However, this is a news blog not an arts and entertainment blog.
We are stuck with a newspaper that is afraid to report all the real news and take no shame with their biased. Enjoy this blog for what it is and get your arts and entertainment information from Berkshire Week.
Let me address a few things since I was on the council when this was decided.
There were many public meetings regarding this issue. They were well attended and advertised. All the downtown merchants were aware of what was going on and had a say in the process. If they didn’t show up to the meetings, shame on them. It’s like an election, don’t bitch about who gets elected if you didn’t vote.
The kiosks were not ordered about a year AFTER the council approved the borrowing for the project, not before.
Once again, the state had their hand in this. The city was told no more help from the state for parking garages until you charge for parking. The state gave the city around seven million to fix the McKay Street garage. They don’t want to keep doing that and I don’t blame them.
We are one of the only cities in the commonwealth that doesn’t charge for parking. Have you been to Springfield, Northampton, Worcester, Holoyke?
Nobody likes to pay for parking, I get that. But there was a reason for this and it was an open public process. The time to complain was at the public meetings, not after the fact. If you attended one or more of those meetings and voiced your opposition, complain away, you have the right.
Correction, the kiosks were ordered about a year after council approval.
Thank for the clarification Barry. Did you or anyone one else do the math on how long it would take to recoup the cost of these meters. They can’t be cheap with software cost these days
It might look bad if no one did their homework on this so I hope to get a reply. Thanks ahead of time.
Dusty,
The math was done, I don’t remember the specifics.
The total cost was $500,000.
Holy shit!
The city charter was written to exclude taxpayers. It’s a shame that it was passed with the taxpayers not noticing what’s in it. A good example is the THS project. This was named down our throats by a commission with a heavy influence of out of Pittsfield people and Good Ole Pittsfield boys and girls. At least one guy trier to do something about it but it seems that the courts are rigged too.
I remember taking a parking survey, but I doubt it was ever looked at.
Exactly!!!
The City Charter has made all Taxpayer voices extinct. Just pay your taxes and shut up!!
representative democracy, look it up.
Shakes his Head
The Pittsfield Representative Democracy does not represent the Citizens. Therein lies the rub!!
No government represents the fringe. 80% of the people are just fine and do not share your deviant concerns. As you said above, you have no interest in supporting Pittsfield.
Way back when the discussion by Dan Valenti was on this blog, I stated that I never had a problem parking downtown. Even if I had to walk some. ….
Those details are important. Makes a lot of sense now.
I still like the idea of completely FREE parking. Barry weve done the FEE parking before and it obviously has not worked because for the umpteenth time Pittsfield is trying to “fix” parking (the endless story). One thing the city has never tried is what DV recommends,totally free parking. Do it for two years. Fix parking decks by addressing imbalance between school side and city side budget allocations (75-25 is sending the city into ruin).
HALF A MILLION???? For parking kiosks. No way citizens would approve this. Yeah they don’t attend meeetings or vote because they’ve been brainawshed and hammered down to nothing.
Perfect system: Beat the electorate to death then when they don’t vote say “See you had the chance to vote but didn’t so you don’t have a say”…let me remind everyone that in our system of “rep” democracy as Shakes loves to lecture us about even those who don’t vote or participate are represented.
I understand the basic economics of the situation. Parking is a scarce resource. In fact, many spaces are occupied – and the parking Nazis – much as I hate them are there to mostly move along employees of downtown businesses who fail to buy the permits allowing them to park all day in a lot or garage.
But with that charge, I expect a few things in return:
1.
I understand the basic economics of the situation. Parking is a scarce resource. In fact, many spaces are occupied – and the parking Nazis – much as I hate them are there to mostly move along employees of downtown businesses who fail to buy the permits allowing them to park all day in a lot or garage.
But with that charge, I expect a few things in return:
1.
I’ve been trying to nail this mouse and the rodent never sets the trap off and licks the food clean? So, I got a little crafty and spread a little peanut butter on a tissue and laid it on the inside of the trap figuring it would have to manuever a little more and have to set it off or no food. Well, in the morning,I went to check the trap and the tissue as well as the trap is gone, yes,disappeared..I’ve looked everywhere and cannot find the damn thing….any suggestions?
Get a bigger trap.
LOL…your mouse and my former mouse must be related. I had the same challenge. 2 words: glue traps.
Get a cat
check your vacuum cleaner hose.
I understand the basic economics of the situation. Parking is a scarce resource. In fact, many spaces are occupied – and the parking Nazis – much as I hate them are there to mostly move along employees of downtown businesses who fail to buy the permits allowing them to park all day in a lot or garage.
But with that charge, I expect a few things in return:
1. A robust selection of businesses located in downtown to draw my business. Now the City is only marginally responsible for this and can only help by making downtown safe, convenient, etc.
2. As alluded to above, I expect a well lit, well patrolled, and well maintained downtown. I do not want to be harassed by pan handlers or kids on skateboards or bikes forcing me off the sidewalk.
3. In the winter, I expect snow cleared from the banks after every storm. Storm basins shoveled out so water will drain from the curbs, and well cleared and treated sidewalks.
4. I expect parking garages that are also safe, clean, well lit, patrolled, free from graffiti, drug activity and prostitution activity. I expect the garage stairwells and elevators that don’t smell like urine.
If I could get that, I might not be happy – but I would see where my money went. Until I get that, I don’t see myself finding a spot, fighting wind and treacherous walking in the winter to go to a kiosk wander back to my car, then go to my destination during the nearly six months of winter. And if I don’t need to go during those six months, it’s easy to avoid during the rest of the year too I suppose.
I guess once the City doies its
Southeast
As always you are precise in delivery!
Two years ago, was the final straw for me. It was the Winter debacle of not being able to access the sidewalk on North Street after you parked your car. Mr. Collingwoods DPW screwup that kept on giving!! I will leave it at that! Some things are unacceptable.
You live in the mountains, get used to the snow.
The city employs a Garage Manager who is supposed to make sure all of your items are covered. However the guy spents most of his time padding is OT and uses it for comp time. He has more PTO then he actually work.
U almost made it s e…..lol
I know my computer froze and it posted two partials!!
Now I can’t remember my very last thought, the CRS must be kicking in 🙂
I once got a parking ticket. I remember paying it and saying “I will NEVER shop North street again”.
I kept my word. I never shopped North street again and its been many years.
Walmart, the mall……. so many other places to shop where there is free parking. Charging for parking is punative to the customers and businesses. Its really stupid.
Allowing people to park for free on North street would be hugh boon to the businesses there. However, the city does not care about business or its customers as they shake down the people for their pocket change and enforce it with Nazis SS officers.
Pittsfield does not have a wealth of downtown stores. Think about it! Paying for a premium parking space? The intelligence is comical.
It used to.
ALL the sores stayed open late Thursday nights and it was safe to walk the sidewalks.
stores, typo
I guess all the OPEN OOZING SORES stay open ALL night these days.
if there were free parking the employees that work downtown would park front and center and then you would complain about how you could never find a spot.
Over the years wasn’t there missing funds from parking meter revenues a while ago?
Thank God Carr Hardware has it’s own parking lot. It’s about the only place I stop on North or South streets except for the traffic lights.
I grew up in Berkshire county and what Pittsfield is now, is FUGLY (acronym for something kids should not read) !
Thanks present and past MAYORS and CITY COUNCILORS!!!
Watch out for the wall trapper
Will the Hotel On North be asked reimburse the city for the revenue lost by having a full block reserved for them? Doubt it.
BTW… I’ve never seen a car being attended to by their valet parking. And what’s wrong with having their guests pull up to the back door?
Like I said earlier in the conversation. Many of the cities problems can be directly tied to favors granted to special interests.
This is a make believe world to these people giving all the favors. They get really pissed at the real people in this town who knew Pittsfield when it was vibrant.We shouldn’t talk negatively about the creepers, gunshots, stabbings, The City Charter. They go on the defense when its mentioned the Citizens are not being heard.What does Pittsfield have to show for Years and Years of paying taxes? Parking Fee Kiosks for downtown Pittsfield. …..That is the stinger for 2016. Can’t stop laughing.
since you don’t go downtown, why should you care? stick to having an opinion on what affects you.
SHH, a lot of our resources are directed towards downtown. For some reason, it is a neighborhood with a favored status.
A vibrant downtown makes a city a better place to live, so I guess some of the spending is worthwhile – if after we spend the money, results are apparent. We have been “investing” in downtown for years, and we are not in solid agreement the money has helped.
But Spa is a local taxpayer – and the fact that she does not frequent downtown does not mean she wouldn’t like to, or that it’s health has no impact on her property values or tax bills.
And as far as living where there is snow – I am used to it. I have plowed it for 38 years and am lucky to be healthy. But, if you have passengers, the snowbanks are incredibly inconvenient and unsafe to climb over. Many cities remove the snow from their downtowns in order to make them more pedestrian friendly.
A lot of this discussion, if broken out into a few issues seems to center around the fact that for all we spend, downtown Pittsfield is still not an accommodating place to go and spend your time and money. And telling me a space is premium because maybe it is near a business I want to visit when I have already “invested” a small fortune and am unsure the results have been worth it is a bit presumptuous.
I’m not sure the net revenue collected will exceed the business driven away if downtown doesn’t have the natural draw the folks pushing for this seem to believe exists. If I’m wrong, I’ll be thrilled.
If there was not a parking problem in downtown, the discussion would not be here. Investing in a parking management system is smart. It cuts down labor costs. It generates revenue and reduces cash management difficulties. If you have free parking, I’ll be parking on north in front of my office and you can hoof it from wherever you have to come from. Plenty of money is spent on parks, schools, police, roads, and public works that are not downtown. Yes the city does try to remove snow from downtown, but at $20k a pop, it can’t do that constantly.
And if I haven’t said it explicitly enough, if you reside in Pittsfield you are paying taxes to Pittsfield. There is no special status for owners. This is not a feudal system. There are no slaves and servants. Defending the taxpayers means ensuring equal treatment.
Because then they will know that there is a Methadone Clinic behind them
Will the low life’s that go to the meth clinic have to pay the parking fines? I doubt it as most of them have expired tags and licenses.
Easier to get a license with repeated opiate raps even sales, than a DWI.
They need to travel ALL the way to: albany, holyoke , or springfield
Curious if anyone has been to Hudson and checked out Warren Street?
Case Study… complete transformation over the last 5-10+ years. Narrow, pedestrian friendly, countless shops, restaurants, parking etc. and man, people are out and about supporting the local businesses.
Now, understood the demo may be a bit different and perhaps everything is not perfect, but I’ll tell you, the local merchants, city government etc. obviously put an emphasis on “downtown” and IMPO, nailed it.
In Hudson, they charge for parking.
Barry
Barry, you are correct. Pay on street and also at few public lots. I recall not paying on streets both north and south of Warren. I don’t mind paying (lived in larger cities, used to the model), especially if i get a solid ROI 🙂
Main point re. Hudosn, I would suggest their downtown investment was a great success.
TRue but Hudson has a vibrant downtown with interesting shops. Pittsfield has endless construction, no parking, unfriendly parking attendants and not much to go there for..
Maybe in Hudson they have more than social service agencies in their downtown senor.
Our citizens are lazy and expect to park in front of any store they are going to….I went to Stockbridge and could not park…I went to Great Barrington and could not park…I go to downtown Pittsfield and I can park.If I need coins to park I not going downtown.
The city is broke…Administrations Joe Curtis is blowing through money like thetes no tomorrow. Remember Behnkes spent 30 bucks on her new raise….a 600 dollar a week raise.
In Dalton the business development there can count….they need to hire her to run pittsfield schools.
Joe Curtis sits on his computer doing nothing…..Hes not a high paid secratary because thats an insult to the secretaries. Do away with Superintendant Titles
The lovely Linda Tyer should propose a downtown pittsfield parking plan that has signs that say: “Park your car here at your own risk from 6 pm – 6 am!” & “Danger: Lowlifes, Drug Dealers, Gang members, Guns & Knives, Violent Crime, Shootings!”
Joe Curtis makes 2,500 bucks a week.He couldnt dustmop 20 classroom…he could not clean 40 bathrooms….lazy
Let me review here. The taxpayers are on the hook for a half million dollars for sophisticated parking meters that will take years to pay for themselves. In the meantime they will depreciate and won’t we also need to hire someone to maintain them and their software? Will this be a new position? And if so will it be given to a connected son or daughter?
Maybe SHH can answer this as he seems to work out of city hall.
I wouldn’t count on anything he says
Terry Kinnas for Mayor!
The School Committee will try to get PCBs in all the schools by 2020…almost everyone is on board.Yon and Mccandless and Tyer
PCB’s and Children? Where the Hell is the Board of Health?
The BOH wouldn’t care if school children played in a PCB sandbox and ate the dirt for lunch, but god forbid if there’s a store that sell cigarettes down the street. Does anyone else find it insane that a literal PCB toxic waste dump is allowed to be closer to an elementary school than a mom and pop store that sells the occasional pack of Marlboro’s. You can’t write this stuff….Only in Pittsfield!
Jaywalking should be legal, since it is never enforced,why not?
marijuana should be legal, why not.