By JOE LoTEMPLIO
PLATTSBURGH — A city union chief wants the downtown parking-meter enforcement officer position reinstated.
Denise Nephew, head of the city's American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees union, told councilors recently that revenue from parking tickets is way down this year.
The position was abolished for this year as part of the 2009 budget process last January.
Nephew said revenue is down from about $91,000 in 2008 to about $34,000 so far this year for a difference of about $57,000.
She noted that in September 2008, 363 tickets were issues, but only 71 tickets were written this past September.
To date this year, only 982 tickets have been issued compared with 2,760 tickets by this time last year.
"The figures speak for themselves," Nephew said.
The parking-enforcement position cost the city about $36,000 a year in salary and benefits. Nephew said the position always paid for itself and then some.
She added that the city is still paying benefits for the position because the person doing the job was transferred to other duties in the Public Works Department.
"I don't want to hear complaints about lack of revenues," she said.
Councilor Chris Jackson (D-Ward 6), who represents downtown, said he has heard some complaints about parking there. Some merchants are upset because people park for hours on end, leaving no chance for potential customers to park near their businesses.
Police Chief Desmond Racicot said officers respond to parking complaints as always, but parking issues take a back seat to robberies, assaults and other more serious crimes.
"We'd love to have the position back, but given the city's fiscal crisis, we understand budgets have to take in mind taxpayers," Racicot said.
Mayor Donald Kasprzak did not include the position in his budget proposal for 2010.
"We are very sensitive to parking issues downtown, and we hope that the chief can schedule more patrols downtown to monitor the situation and write tickets if necessary," Kasprzak said.
"If the council feels it wants to add the position, they have every right to do so."
The council has until Jan. 15 to adopt a spending plan for 2010.
Councilor James Calnon (I-Ward 4), who as mayor pro tem serves as budget officer, said the council will review the position in its upcoming budget sessions.
He noted that 2008 was an unusual year for collecting parking ticket fines because the city changed methods for collecting and was able to secure a lot of fine money that was outstanding from previous years.
"But we will take a look at all years and make a decision," Calnon said.
E-mail Joe LoTemplio at: jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com
