City Commission Tables Parking Meter Rate Increase, Public Meeting Planned

From the editor:  We're not certain what triggered the tabling of the second reading of the agenda item 4C which effectively would have tripled downtown parking fees.  Before the meeting, with the sound on, I saw an older gentleman(Abraham Galonsky?) approach the mayor and Commissioner Gowen.  I heard the mayor say:  "No, the item will be tabled. We'll likely have a town meeting before taking any action.  At that point it appeared the visitor left the chambers.

During the meeting Commissioner Ricardo Longoria moved that the item be tabled.  That was approved by majority vote.

We criticized the mayor and city commission for pushing this item through without community involvement, consultation with the downtown business owners and the obscure way the agenda item was written, so as to conceal its purpose.

Certainly, a town meeting on the subject honors democratic principles as opposed to simply pushing it through without notifying the tax payers.