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Editor:
Does anyone in favor of metered parking own or operate a downtown business?
How would you feel if you owned a business, and in one month, had seven customers say they would no longer buy from you because of the $10 parking sting if they spend a few extra minutes shopping in your establishment?
Multiply that seven customers a month times 12 months, and how many have you lost now? When those businesses fold, no one will be paying taxes to the village, but rather to Center Township.
One of the arguments is that everyone who works at those businesses will park there. We have 160 meters downtown, and the courthouse provides its employees with parking, as do most of the other businesses. It would take an awful lot of workers to fill 160 spots even if they didn't have provided parking.
I would personally like to see all the parking places filled. When people are complaining there is no place to park, meters are justified, not when on a busy day only 50 of them are being used. Try bagging them for a few months Give the downtown an opportunity to be competitive with businesses on the hill.
And if you want to buy a cruiser, pay for it outright, so you avoid paying interest. Let that offset meter income.
Give our downtown an equal shot, not an unfair disadvantage.
Stevie Halverstadt
Lisbon