PARKING FEES: Mr. Boe's rebuttal
It is rather insulting and concerning that the Coeur d’Alene Press mocks the elderly as “wobbly oldsters” and belittles single moms in our community. How heartless are you?
What you call a “benign increase” in parking fees, was the introduction of parking fees when previously there were none.
This has pushed locals out of their own city parks, and not all our parks, just the good ones.
That’s not fair and that’s not right.
We had dozens and dozens of citizens speak for more than two hours to the Council about having to make the choice between buying milk for their families or visiting the parks (parks already paid for in full) by their tax dollars. We had scores of elderly Coeur d’Alene citizens speak to the Council about the pains of old age that do not allow them to walk a distance to visit the parks and the lake.
Do you realize how FAR it is from free parking areas to the LAKE?
From the East McEuen lot to the lake is about a half mile. Let them walk, good public access is for paying clientele only…
Want to visit the park? Sorry, Bob from Seattle is paying $3 an hour for your parking spot… and, if Bob parks there 3 hours, Diamond Parking in Seattle gets a cut for $ 2.25 (as per city contract). Does this really serve the people’s best interest?
Mr. Widmyer reached out to me afterward and thanked me for orchestrating a very civil and respectful meeting and personally invited me to work with him to improve the situation more favorably for our local citizens in regard to access to city parks. He also welcomed me to sit with him and speak to the parking commission. Which I am honored to do and thankful for his kind treatment to all of us who attended.
I may disagree with the policy and direction of our city, but Mayor Widmyer should be treated with the utmost respect. He was duly elected by the citizens of Coeur d’Alene and should be treated with the honor due his office; inside and outside the chamber walls. Always. As do all our elected officials.
KEITH D. BOE
North Idaho Life
Post Falls