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The Mechanics
« Glenn Greenwald versus Kucinich on Citizens United v. FEC Mayor Daley Calls Out War Protesters »

Chicago Thu Feb 11 2010

Free Parking?

It's the first good news regarding parking meters since the city's decision to privatize them in 2009. Last month, Mayor Daley proposed a free parking exception which will allow motorists one five-minute reprieve per year.

"The change will assist motorists who are occasionally ticketed for accidentally overstaying the time on their pay box receipt by a few minutes, despite trying to comply with parking requirements by purchasing adequate parking time," Daley said in a statement.

Drivers will have to hang on to their receipt in order to apply for a one-time freebie. The new ordinance also orders parking meter employees not to ticket cars whose time has immediately expired.

 
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RAStewart / February 11, 2010 11:31 AM

"The new ordinance also orders parking meter employees not to ticket cars whose time has immediately expired."

Thus differing from the old practice by the addition of the word "not."

If this represents a dawning recognition that City Hall's "gotcha governance" is driving visitors and residents out of Chicago, and a baby step away from that kind of governance, then two cheers. (Third cheer reserved for when I see some actual evidence of same.)

rachael / February 11, 2010 1:14 PM

Seems to me that this is just a small step toward repairing the broken trust between city hall and the people of Chicago after the parking meter fiasco.

And what would stop a parking meter employee from marking the time as 5 mins after the meter's expiration on the ticket, even if it's only been three? It's your watch vs. theirs...

Ryan / February 12, 2010 2:14 PM

According to this post by the Parking Geek - the grace period is only temporary, expiring next year (after the election).

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Feature

Parents Still Steaming, but About More Than Just Boilers

By Phil Huckelberry / 2 Comments

It's now been 11 days since the carbon monoxide leak which sent over 80 Prussing Elementary School students and staff to the hospital. While officials from Chicago Public Schools have partially answered some questions, and CPS CEO Forrest Claypool has informed that he will be visiting the school to field more questions on Nov. 16, many parents remain irate at the CPS response to date. More...

Civics

Substance, Not Style, the Source of Rahm's Woes

By Ramsin Canon / 2 Comments

It's not surprising that some of Mayor Emanuel's sympathizers and supporters are confusing people's substantive disputes with the mayor as the effect of poor marketing on his part. It's exactly this insular worldview that has gotten the mayor in hot... More...

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