April 11, 2011
GALVESTON, TX - Next month voters in Galveston will go to the polls for the third time to vote on whether or not they want people to pay to park on their seawall.
Money starved politicians, desperate to shore up a sinking (or sunk) city economy, are taking one more stab at trying to convince Galveston residents they and everyone who visits the island should feed the meter to park on the beachfront. In two previous elections on the very same issue, voters said NO, loud and clear. But politicians being what they are, either can't hear or won't take NO for an answer, so they're back with another election.
They're approach this time is much different than before. Signs all over the city read "Vote FOR Seawall Enhancements." Not a word about parking meters, or paying to park on the seawall, or the rash of problems paid parking will cause businesses on the seawall who will have a constant battle keeping beach goers from parking in their parking lots to avoid paying the 8 bucks.
This time the politicians are trying to sell voters fancy new bathrooms and palm trees, and bath houses, and playgrounds, that the money from paying parkers will supposedly produce.
The politicians have even enlisted the police department to proclaim paid parking will require no police manpower. Parking violations will be policed by private metermaids leaving police free to fight crime. Supposedly! A police official was recently on a Houston TV station promoting the metermaids.
Question. Who is Kroger's going to call when their parking lot fills up with beach goer cars? Who is Academy Sports & Outdoor going to call? Who are the hotels and restaurants going to call when they find all those cars in their parking lots that don't belong to their customers? NOT THE METERMAIDS. They'll be calling the police. You can bet on it. And cars will be towed. Towing companies should be the biggest supporters of 'Seawall Enhancements' for they will be the profiters of it, not the citizens of Galveston and certainly NOT the businesses on the seawall.
Deception is the game of fools, crooks and politicians and it's in full swing in Galveston. Anyone who can't see through this obvious sinister ploy to mislead voters, should get a walking cane with red and white stripes.
That's the way I see it.
Breck Porter
