Privatization of public assets is good or the tapayers and local economy?
Wrong…
Via Pennlive:
With parking in Harrisburg costing $3 an hour, many city restaurant and bar owners say business is taking a hit.
For one, happy hour in Harrisburg is nearly dead while Saturday business at many city restaurants and bars is down. At least one restaurant, Zia’s at Red Door is closing, partly on account of the higher parking rates, said its owner Rocco Roma.
“More people are going to start leaving Harrisburg in droves,” said Mike Moran, owner of MoMo’s BBQ & Grill on Market Street.
In March, digital parking meters went live in Harrisburg, bringing with them longer hours and higher rates. Meter rates doubled from $1.50 to $3 an hour with the times extended by two hours on weekdays from 5 to 7 p.m. In addition, parking rates are now in effect on Saturdays.
READ MORE: Here’s a comparison of Harrisburg parking rates to those in cities around the country
It used to be cars circled the block looking for a space to park, Moran said, adding now parking spots along the streets are plentiful, especially over the weekday dinner hour and Saturdays.
http://www.pennlive.com/food/index.ssf/2014/07/harrisburg_parking_rates_resta.html
And don’t forget those “gotcha” contracts some of the privatizers’ clever lawyers insert into privatized meter contracts. If a street needs to be closed for a parade or for road crews to fix a water line or other needs, the private contractor automatically gets paid for “loss of revenue” meaning they get paid by the taxpayers for money they may have gotten if the road was open and people could have parked there and paid their fee to the meter. So, the privatizer wins, either way–just like private prisons–unfilled prison beds get charged just as if a prisoner actually occupied the bed!!!!!! Talk about being screwed! Privatization is just another corporate rip-off by the Shock Doctrine crowd.