Opinion Commentary Visit us online at smdp.com
WEEKEND EDITION, JULY 21-22, 2012
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CHEAP PARKING City Hall offers $2.20 annual parking passes to seniors for beach parking lots. In fact, the cost doesn’t even cover the price of the sticker it’s printed on. This past week, Q-line asked: Do you think this is a fair price or should it be increased? Here are your responses: P R O U D LY B R O U G H T T O Y O U B Y
“THEY SHOULD PAY WHAT EVERYONE ELSE
does. If they can’t afford it, they shouldn’t drive. They are a danger to other drivers so they shouldn’t be encouraged to be on the road.” “AS A FORMER LANDLORD AND DISABLED
person, I think that the parking should be allowed for the seniors so people can realize that we need to show respect to our elders. After all, we live in Los Angeles and there’s some very, very wealthy people that can support other people that need help.” “SENIORS DO NEED A BREAK. I’M A
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senior on a fixed income and I use the annual pass to get my morning walks in at the beach. I think it’s a good thing.” “THIS HAS THE AROMA OF ‘IT TAKES A
village’ thinking from City Hall. How can they and their egotistical view and taxpayer money save the world? Very little in Santa Monica is fair, unless you are part of the progressive voting block. Then mammon from City Hall heaven will fall upon you. Pretending Einsteins on the City Council favor selling hundreds of thousands of senior beach passes at cost — what? You say seniors won’t visit all at the same time. Huh? Why are we obviously supporting out-of-town elders? Senior beach passes should be just for Santa Monica seniors. Regular beach parking passes should be 50 percent less for Santa Monicans. How do you pay for this? Increase the fees just like everything else in this town, but this time jack the weekenders who trash our city with traffic and trash. Let’s support our own instead of supporting an un-American philosophy of universal entitlement.” “I’M 65 AND I CAN NO LONGER AFFORD A
car, so it’s not even an issue. Most of the seniors I know don’t have cars either. We’re just bus people.” “NO, THIS IS NOT A FAIR PRICE. ORIGINALLY,
parking was free for seniors. For over 15 years, one of the benefits of being a Santa Monica senior was to be able to purchase an unlimited, free parking pass for a one-time charge of $2 per car. The only requirement was to renew the pass annually before the end of March, without any further charges, by showing that you still owned the car and were still a resident of Santa Monica. Last year was the first time a new fee of $2 plus 20 cents tax was charged for a one-year pass for beach parking. The same charge was again made this year. I am surprised that the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has not filed suit against the city of Santa Monica for this outrageous fee with a tax on top of it. Oh well, another benefit of Santa Monica senior residents has bitten the dust.” “PARKING FOR SENIORS AT $2.20 GIVES
them a pass for a year. Since the Q-Line had this question, I’ve looked in the parking lot twice this week. I’ve seen a grand total of three stickers hanging in the mirror. Maybe they ought to increase to say $5, but it’s not like it’s heavy use and every once in a while it’s nice to get a deal. Santa Monica is not one to give anybody a deal.” “MY HUSBAND AND I TRULY APPRECIATE
our Senior Beach Parking Pass and consider it a valuable part of being able to live in Santa Monica. We use the pass on weekday mornings throughout the year. The beach is less crowded, and we can enjoy an invigorating walk along the shore as well as occasional sightings of the snowy plovers, an endangered shorebird that visits our coastline. The passes are not a large budget item. Let’s keep them as they encourage seniors to enjoy nature’s beauty.”
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“NO, I DO NOT THINK WE SHOULD
charge seniors more. Councilman [Bob] Holbrook thought seniors on fixed incomes were due a break, and kudos to him. We raised their sales taxes, and in some cases we constantly raise their property taxes, we denied them paper bags, their parking rates will go up soon, and even in their handicapped status they will need to pay for parking. They have literally been told to scram from their Village Trailer Park, and Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights, in collusion with developers, are again going to rip them off with ever higher rents that they call rent control. They are tormented about driving a car and from 65 years old on they are offered the option of driving a bicycle or walking and more nonsense by a council whose members drive and some that have more than two cars. So do as I say is in and forget about what I do. Then seniors and other taxpayers are plagued by a school system that can never manage its own budget so that we are paying into a bottomless pit. …They took away their center in Palisades Park and, generally, seniors are exploited at every turn. … So seniors mentioned in your question should not be charged more!” “I DO NOT THINK SANTA MONICA SHOULD
issue any beach permits of this type. Now that we have to pay lots for short-term parking, that should be good enough for anyone, regardless of age. If those lots become too crowded on a regular basis, then increase the size of the short-term lots. I’m fast approaching my senior years, as are the rest of the baby boomers my age. We can’t keep giving free or reduced perks to able-bodied, high-income individuals simply based on age. Why is Santa Monica encouraging people to drive to the beach when the Big Blue Bus does such a good job covering all parts of Santa Monica. Walk, bike, take a bus or pay for your car at the same rate everyone else does.”
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