Mayor Vows Sacramento Won't Repeat Chicago's Parking Problems
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Downtown drivers worried about their parking rates going up are now criticizing the city's plan to finance an arena by turning parking garages over to a private company.
"I think it's a ripoff of my tax dollars," said Dr. Neil Christianson, who uses a downtown garage. "I'm not against sports, I'm not against sports fans. I just think the people need to be taken care of first. That's the responsibility of government."
Critics point to Chicago - one of the only cities in the country with privatized parking. Taxpayers were outraged when their rates skyrocketed.
"The aldermen signed it, we elected them, we gotta pay for it," one Chicago woman said.
But Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said his city won't repeat the mistakes made in the Windy City.
"In Chicago we can learn a lot about what to do and even more about what not to do," he said.
Johnson said Sacramento won't make the mistakes as the city evaluates a potential operator. So far, 13 companies are interested in running Sacramentos public parking lots.
Johnson said incremental increases are a possibility but large rate hikes aren't.
"We will make sure that parking rates will be maintained," he said. "We will protect those folks."
Some taxpayers say they wouldn't mind if parking rates increase because of the benefits a new arena would bring.
"A lot of people don't see big picture," Danny Shaw said. "I see the big picture. I'd support it."
