Tonight the Portsmouth City Council heard from a dozen residents on their take of the proposed tiered parking rates in the downtown area. The Council will vote on October 17^th to raise the rate to $1.50 per hour on “high occupancy” streets in the Market Square area, while making lower demand spaces throughout the downtown $1.00 per hour.

The majority of Port City residents who spoke said the rate increase will hurt residents and businesses during this current economic state. Resident Ron Zola asked the Council to reconsider their recent parking policies because of the affect it has on those who live in the city. Bob Swan, also a resident, said the last several increases in parking rates have added to the high taxes that residents already pay.
 
This proposal comes less than a month after the Council passed a parking omnibus that includes an increase of all two-hour limits for on-street parking to three hours and implementation of a first hour free program in the High Hanover parking garage.