It looks as if Common Council has listened to the outcry of the people. While the parking meter rate will still be $2 an hour (very steep), the pay-to-park hours will not be extended, and weekends will still be free. Councilmen Pridgen will be asking City of Buffalo Parking Commissioner Kevin Helfer to come back with a written report on the effects of the changes, by April 1. This new resolution is headed in the right direction, but there are still plenty of people who are wondering how the City can ask people two pay $2 to park for one hour in Downtown Buffalo, especially visitors who might only be looking to stop into a business for a few minutes (maybe to grab a cup of coffee?).
Hopefully when Helfer comes back to present his updated report, with the updated changes, there will be some more offerings on the table. While this is still not the best result, at least Common Council is beginning to understand the adverse implications that would result in creating an anti-parking atmosphere in downtown Buffalo. This is not the way to get people to park their cars in parking ramps. Instead, it’s a way to get people to stop coming to the city to do business.