My husband just got back from Howell's and said it was a joke! Another ridiculous idea! Give it up Mayor and get rid of the paid parking once and for all! Even downtown Birmingham gives their patrons 2 hours free and they are booming!

Appearently this mayor has an insatible appetite for money, among other things. Let me remind this patrician that in this economy, ppl are looking to spend as less as possible if they take a night out. Even going to a resturant can be an expensive event for a lot of families. Add on parking, and you easily have a 75 dollar night.

This mayor and city council are way too arrogant. The paid parking is just not working. It's especially irrritating that they hiked the fees just before homecoming. If you go just west of resturant and bar row on Mich. Ave., it's a ghost town with old and new buildings sitting empty. I wonder why nobody wants to open a buisness where you are forced to pay for parking. It's a bad joke on Dearborn taxpayers. The structures and paid plans were in place before we were asked to vote on it. The first plan was a dismal failure with the attendant lots. The meters are almost as bad. I don't even go on Michigan Ave. anymore. Why would I want to pay for a parking spot and then rush myself so I don't run out of time and get a ticket? Tony was right to close Little Professors and get out. There are way too many places to eat and shop with free parking.

Unfortunately someone has to pay to maintain parking areas...either the merchants, the patrons or the taxpayers through higher taxes. Businesses that have their own private lots, like Kiernan's, have to pay taxes on the property and maintain their own lots.

Unfortunately someone has to pay to maintain parking areas...either the merchants, the patrons or the taxpayers through higher taxes. Businesses that have their own private lots, like Kiernan's, have to pay taxes on the property and maintain their own lots.

Valet parking is more costly than the meter parking. Valets expect to be tipped, and what would you tip a valet? Are the valets bonded? If your car was full of packages, would you feel comfortable giving the keys to a stranger? I like Carol's comment about the 2 hour free parking, plenty of time to get shopping done and a meal. Any longer , then pay a fee as per the regular rates.

Of course, I forgot. Valet parking has two different definitions now. The old style, where a valet actually did something for a tip, and the new version, sit in a box and collect money!

back in the day west dearborn had paid parking and they got rid of it here we go again

They should either get rid of paid parking or have the first two hours free. Those who are in favor of continuing paid parking say: how else is the city going to pay off the debt? Continuing with paid parking is ADDING to the debt. Last year it left a hole of over $650,000 in the budget, and over the years it has contributed to the demise of an astonishing number of businesses. Either businesses have to start paying for their own parking lots or more good businesses will needlessly close. Paid parking is NOT working here. How much longer do we have to wait until city officials realize that? And though for the sake of Dearborn’s businesses I hope valet parking will bring in more customers, frankly, it sounds like a joke. Who would use valet parking to go to any of these businesses?

It is ironic how many Dearborn residents do not patronize their own Dearborn shops then turn around and complain about parking and lack of businesses. Is $1-3 breaking your budget to park your car in a decently maintained surface lot or parking garage? I would rather the users of parking foot the bill, not the residents who do not use the lots. The alternative of buying local is buying at bland big box stores -- Allen Park -- in a free sea of parking. If you shop local in a downtown area, you're going to pay for parking, either in Dearborn, Royal Oak, or Ann Arbor. The Next Gen of Dearborn is tired of driving and spending our money outside of Dearborn. We want something unique and local. If the rest of Dearborn wants beat up parking lots, no local businesses, and no character, then the Next Gen will keep leaving Dearborn.

If paid parking with parking meters is part of the plan in Dearborn, we should make the meters easier to use, as in accept payment. Ann Arbor parking meters are solar powered, touch screen and accept credit cards. They cost the city little or nothing as they are managed by private enterprise. One of the hassles of Dearborn's parking meters is carrying a ton of change to park for an hour or two. If the meters are more consumer friendly, perhaps they would be accepted more readily....

Dearborn does not have any stores worth the price of parking, and how is shopping and shopping in chain stores is not shopping in your community. This entire development fiasco in dtown w Dearborn is a direct result of the Mayors inability to attract and zone business

Mayby it's just me...but... I seem to have noticed that some locations where businesses start, always seem to wither on the vine. I can think of one business at the corner of Oakman/Ford rd. that never seems to thrive. Neither the business that exists there now, or the other entites that ever occupied that space. It could be that West Dbn business locations, for whatever reasons...just share the same karma. And another thing...why so much attention to this non-issue ? It seems that we should be centering our efforts and attention to a greater issue, namely, repealing that property tax increase that will hurt many families in the Cty. of Dbn. As I stated many times before, we live in an 8/10 dollar wage economy, suffered 5 years of ever decreasing property values. (mine is the lowest its ever been), yet, my taxes are going to be ARTIFICALLY inflated, (and YOURS too), just to support a few over-priced jobs/positions. Ever wonder WHY ppl like Turkia "Mullins", are able to make 200,000 USD (dollar) packages ? Why its simply the TAXES YOU PAY to Wayne County. Ditto for our overlords in the City of Dbn. And, while we are thinking about over-bloated pay/bene. packages...what about those water bills ? Arn't they a joy to get in the mailbox too? Lets think about our fates concerning more important issues instead of a few non-essential stores in W. Dbn. and how to park our cars there.

Marooned...I am sure Jessica is open to topic suggestions....Oakman and Ford road, any fast food place should thrive with Fordson nearby....

Businesses thrive when customers can access them quckly, easily and safely. The simplicity of paying using a credit card for parking takes a lot of hassle out of using the parking lots. They can be programed to use cards issued by the businesses, thus saving the property tax folk some money, let the users pay. Of course, if you don't have kids, and don't use the schools, whatever rationality of the group paying for the good of society should also work for the parking , right? Free. sort of.......

Lee, My first thought was if this city is gonna rely on parking meters to raise some scratch, yes, those meters can be upgraded to a plastic form of payment. That would mean replaceing meters. How much does each one cost, then tell me again, how much they would cost with added price padding from the supplier. Now, does all the cost outlay this would entail, be worth the cost to the taxpayer ? It would solve the concerns of parkers because they would feel that since they have that credit card...they wouldn't run out of quarters. I think they can keep the existing meters, but give more parking time per quarter. Problem partially solved.
About Ford/Oakman business location. At this particular location, for whatever reason, nothing that was planted there survives for long. (?)

Marooned... the city would not have to pay a nickel, let private enterprise supply the meters, and do all the work, and make the promises. The city would share in the profits. Everyone benefits.