Downtown Business Owner Daniel Lenz Speaks Out on the Proposed Parking Rate Increase

Daniel Lenz

I understand the thinking on behalf of certain City officials in regards to the parking meter fee increase, but I believe they are putting the cart before the horse. This was also the case in the Public Improvement District (PID) Advisory Committee, things were done all backwards trying to impose a tax on the Entertainment District before they actually had a PID, it eventually died.

 If Downtown Brownsville were a “Destination” of specialty shops, nice sit down restaurants and entertainment venues, along with the historical factor, then raising the meter fees would be logical to keep traffic moving and allow more people to experience it. As of now it is not a “Destination”, it is mostly, (not all) dollar stores, ropa usadas and low budget restaurants.

But these are legitimate businesses that have invested in downtown and fulfill a need in our community. However, the people that frequent these types of places cannot afford to pay the increased fee, and in the short term the Downtown will suffer the consequences along with the property owners. Now take into account the minimum wage person who works downtown, they have to park somewhere also, but can they afford $150.00 per month in increased parking fees, I think not. And yes people will, and do spend the money on gas to shop in McAllen and Mercedes, because it is a “Destination” and a pleasant experience that they are willing to spend money for, just as they would spend the increased parking fees if Downtown Brownsville were a “Destination”.

 But lets be clear, those people are a totally different group of people that do not shop downtown Brownsville for the most part. When the Downtown starts attracting different types of businesses to make it a “Destination”, and allowing for higher wage jobs, then raise the meter fees to $0.75 per hour and people will pay for it. However, this will never happen without the City providing greater incentives for businesses to locate there. The City could simply start by enforcing codes and ordinances on ALL downtown businesses and property owners, keeping the downtown clean and spruced up, addressing the homeless problem that engulfs the area, and getting rid of the little cantinas that allow people to get drunk by day and loiter on the sidewalks while smoking a cigarette, thereby intimidating day shoppers from frequenting stores nearby these cantinas.

These basic things should be done without imposing a higher meter fee (tax) at this time, After all… don’t we pay taxes for that type of thing already? Once you do these basic things, you will start attracting businesses that will make Downtown Brownsville a “Destination”, and as I said earlier, raise the meter fees to as high as $0.75 per hour. As a property owner, I witness the parking situation on Adams Street. This week you could find anywhere from 10-20 empty parking spaces throughout the day in a two block area on Adams Street. Granted, there are times it is full, but I rarely have had a problem finding parking in this area. There is also the complaint by some City officials that business owners take up the parking not allowing customers to park, and to some degree this is true. However, it is no different than these same City employees taking up parking spaces throughout the entire work day, never moving their vehicles. There are many things to address before implementing higher meter fees, and this can only be done with involving the merchants, property owners and general public through town hall meetings. When you exclude the people and try to do things without public knowledge, cleverly writing agenda items so people are left in the blind, you will always have a backlash of opposition.

So here are a few questions: Why have you not involved the people this will most affect until now? Is it because you knew you could not sell this idea to the majority? And if the majority of the people are opposed to raising the parking meter fees, are you prepared to abide by their wishes and remove this item from consideration before the City Commission or is this town hall meeting just a show and you will continue to recommend this fee increase? 

A couple of things seem a little hypocritical to me. First, in the past when you have had your Build a Better Block parties and other events, the meter men were instructed to not give parking tickets, because we did not want to discourage people from coming downtown, why is this different from that? Second, it has been stated on behalf of City officials that there is not enough parking downtown. If this is the case, then why is there something in the works to remove approximately 50 parking spaces from Adams Street and turn it into a bike trail? Again, this makes no sense. Has anyone studied the demographics on who shops downtown? I would suggest that the majority of shoppers are from across and on foot. 

It has been stated that the money will be used to buy new parking meters. That means replacing 1,000-1,200 meters at a cost of $750.00-$1,000.00 a piece. Assuming you get your projected revenues, that means the first two years of excess revenue will go to just buying new meters. That does not enhance the downtown. And what if the business owners don’t benefit by increased customers or even see a decline in business, then the only one benefiting is the city taking more tax dollars. How will this be monitored to ensure that businesses are benefiting? If business owners are going to park in parking lots, who is going to secure these lots? No one wants to leave their vehicles that far out of reach from themselves. 

As you can see, there are many concerns that need to be addressed and should have been brought before the public before this was ever presented to the Commission. There is a time a and place for meter rate increases, I just don’t believe now is a good time. So, I would respectfully ask that this item be voted against and further public meetings be held to address the issues and come up with something that is agreeable to the people it will most affect. 

And finally, let me say this; I have witnessed what goes on in this City for the last 28 years. Brownsville has grown for one main reason, and that is when they fall short of being able to provide the basic services that citizens deserve and expect, they annex more property into the City just to increase the tax base. When this happens, the newly annexed areas are not provided basic services for almost three years, I witnessed this at Rio del Sol. However, these newly annexed areas immediately contribute to the tax base, but their money pays for the areas that existed already. In the private sector this is called a Ponzi scheme and illegal. The residents of Brownsville are taxed beyond belief through so many taxing jurisdictions and don’t get what they pay for. 

Where I come from, there are only two taxing entities, city and school or county and school. You cannot be taxed by both the city and county. The people also receive a 50% homestead exemption. For example, on a $225,000 home which my parents own, they pay a total of $900.00 a year in combined taxes. Yet that community is beautifully maintained and has some of the best education in the country and they pay there government employees a good wage. Obviously it is a more efficient run community. 

Something needs to change here in Brownsville! If you share any of these concerns, then I urge you to attend tonight’s town hall meeting at Market Square at 5:30pm. 

Daniel Lenz