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Death, taxes and paid parking

City Hall may have suspended their parking strategy, but it hasn’t gone away
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Benjamin Franklin is famously quoted as saying that nothing is certain, except death and taxes.

Franklin said that in 1789, long before the first production automobile, but we’re pretty sure that if he was speaking nowadays, he would add pay parking to his epigram.

Our mayor, for his part, has commented that people expect parking to be free.

That’s certainly true, though the mayor is implying people who feel that way are wrong. But roads and parking are just one of the services residents expect in return for the taxes they already pay to the city. Adding pay parking, without offering anything in exchange for it, certainly feels like a cash grab.

That is central to the public opposition that forced the city to delay plans to expand pay parking, especially along Okanagan Lake — the city is not offering anything for taking more money out of tourist and resident’s pockets.

At least, not anything obvious, like parking fees going towards paying for full-time lifeguards or a major beach-related enhancement. They’re not even earmarked for the ongoing preservation of the SS Sicamous.

You might argue that taking money from tourists is not a bad thing, but consider this: is that $10 a tourist pays to spend a day enjoying our city going to be extra money, or are they going to spend less in shops, restaurants and services?

Upcoming consultations on the parking strategy are not about whether or not residents want pay parking. It’s more about judging what the community will accept and how much the city can get away with pushing through.

Mayor Jakubeit is correct from one perspective. Pay parking is inevitable. It’s too obvious a revenue stream for the city to leave untouched, especially when there is a need to increase revenues.

But let’s keep it to making money off empty lots and undeveloped areas. And especially let’s avoid taxing (for that is what pay parking is) people who want to use our parks and beaches, especially the world-class cruise along Okanagan Lake.

No one, not residents, not tourists, should have to pay an extra to access the outdoors.