This month, I introduced legislation that would require County Council input before parking meter changes are implemented in Baltimore County.
The bill is partially a response to changes that occurred earlier this year, when parking rates were modified throughout Downtown Towson with no input from my County Council office. I learned about the changes when they were presented at a Towson Chamber of Commerce breakfast.
The rate increases are greatly unpopular in Towson, which now has parking fees on Sundays for the first time ever. In East Towson, residents are now grappling with a parking overflow as people try to avoid parking at meters in the downtown core.
As I told my colleagues, if Councilmembers are not involved at the beginning of a rate change, they will surely have to deal with it at the end–which is what our office now has to do, as businesses and residents grapple with an unpopular process that has led to many impacts. I am proud that all seven Councilmembers are sponsors of this bill.