L. Cronin, Billinudgel.
As we have few ways to raise money from tourists to maintain our crumbling infrastructure, I am all in favour of extending paid parking to Brunswick Heads and Mullumbimby, and raising the fee to $4 per hour (as originally proposed). This may mean that we residents will once again able to find parking in our towns.
Yet along with paid parking comes yet another slug for residents: a $50 parking permit.
Paid parking is a means to recoup money from tourists, so why are we long-suffering residents being asked to pay a $50 fee to park in our own shire, as well as a massive rate rise to pay for tourist damage to our roads and public facilities?
The resident parking fee was introduced by the last dysfunctional council, with no rational explanation being given. Our new councillors should reverse this decision and return free parking to residents as a matter of urgency.
Paid parking is not a means to recoup money from tourists. It is a means to ration and recover the cost of a scarce resource – the place to park close to popular destinations. It also serves to limit the number of cars on the streets and again it rations that usage by a parking fee at the destination (it does not relate to damage to roads which is minimal from modern cars). And what a way to treat your guests, the people who provide employment and support your economy – by charging them while allowing yourselves free parking! The one dollar parking permit is a very small price to pay – a truly fair rationing would have residents pay the same as anyone else. Once again we find someresidents of the Byron Shire wanting to treat others in a way the people of no other shire treats them – as unwelcome guests and a milch cow to subsidize the costs the residents of any other shire pays for themselves.
Colin why leave out Broken Head and Bangalow, and while you are at it why not put boom gates across the highway and charge a toll on all those who have the temerity to try to go somewhere else. Somewhere where they are not preyed upon by avaricious locals seeking to enrich themselves from the tourist pocket while avoiding paying the cost of the infrastructure which makes tourism possible. No half measures Colin go the whole hog.