ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) — Rumors that parking rates in the City of St. Pete Beach could be jumping from $3.25 to $5 an hour are spreading like wildfire. Mayor Al Johnson says he’s even getting calls from other mayors.
“I’ve actually had calls from some of the other beach mayors asking if we’re going to raise the rates and all of that,” said Mayor Johnson. “To be honest, if you’re telling me I’m raising my rates, I didn’t know.”
The whole thing started when one of the city commissioners mentioned in passing the possibility of raising the parking rate. Mayor Johnson isn’t even sure if she was serious when making the suggestion.
“There was no basis to it at all. She was just – a muse, I guess. So – well, we could do this,” Johnson explained. “It wasn’t a serious comment. “
Michelle Gonzalez, the city’s parking and transportation development director, says even if city commissioners were serious about changing the parking rate, the process does not happen overnight.
“Usually it would take like two months. You have to do a first reading and then you have like a month to have it publicly advertised and then you have a second vote and then at that second meeting it’s a public hearing,” said Gonzalez. “The public can come and comment on it.”
Beach goers, as you might imagine, are opposed to any rate hike.
“You’re talking five bucks,” Mark Green, who is visiting from Ohio, said with outrage in his voice. “That’s [$1.75] more. That’s a 50 percent increase.”
The city does have a budget workshop in April. The issue could come up then. Mayor Johnson points out, the city has not adjusted parking rates in some time.
“The thing is, is we haven’t raised the parking rate in like five or six years,” said Mayor Johnson. “And they’re stuck where they are at [$3.25] an hour.”
