Dear Editor:
Hoboken’s politicians recently voted (almost unanimously if I am not mistaken) to install parking meters along Sinatra Drive. Their reasoning was based on the fact that the meters were sitting in a basement, not making any revenue. This was a mistake for many reasons, many of which were brought up by the same politicians that ended up voting for the installation. The hypocrisy is stunning to say the least.
I wonder if any of the politicians who voted for the installation have seen Sinatra Drive on a weekday. I have, I walk there several times a week. There are seldom cars parked in the metered spots now, and the ones that are parked there are idling with the drivers not paying the meter. I would have to say this is a colossal failure of our government to foresee how ridiculous of an idea it was to install these parking meters. Not only do they raise virtually no revenue, they have made Hoboken’s horrible parking problem even worse. These spaces, which were used by local residents to park their cars during the day, now sit empty each and every day during the week. These spaces are too far for people to use for short term parking to access the local businesses. All the cars that used to park there are now pushed back into the heart of Hoboken, making the overall parking situation worse. Congratulations to all who voted for these ridiculous meters.
Sincerely,
James Anastas