There was a decent little article in the most recent addition of Skyway News about parking ramp attendants.
She makes mention of the Minneapolis Central Library Lot which is more commonly referred to at City Hall as the Ritz block. One attendant at the lot, a Mark Thu, was quoted as saying "I used to make $8.50, now I make $9.33. This lot takes in $1,200 to $1,600 a day. I wish I owned it" His buddy at the lot said "I think we all should get paid more, but it ain't going to happen." The lot on the Ritz block across Nicollet from the library is one of nine owned by the City and operated by a private contractor, Municipal Parking Inc. In addition to the nine surface lots the City owns 15 parking ramps. The Municipal Parking Interim Financial Report of May 31,2001 reported these findings system-wide. This includes not only ramps and lots but parking meters and the impound lot.: 1. Between 1999 and 2001 operating revenues are expected to increase by 17% 2. Between 199 and 2001 the operating margin is expected to increase from 33.8% to 38.5%. This parking fund is a hefty little cash cow. It will only get fatter as the City expects to bring on 15,300 more parking spaces throughout the city by 2005. To give you a better idea what were talking about in dollars consider this: Revenues for 2001 are projected to be $56,382,187. Operating income after expenses is projected at $26,186,800. By 2005 those figures are projected to be $96,687,682 in revenue and operating income of $39,165,475. Minneapolis has the largest off-street parking system of any municipality in the U.S. In 1978 the City determined that using city employees to operate parking facilities would be phohibitively expensive. As a result, the City contracted the work out to private firms. Now we have a situation where a private business dips in to the pot to make a buck and the City still comes out with scads of $$$$. And over 400 employees of MPI like Mark Thu get bupkis! This is called a public-private partnership. And the private contractors dole out campaign money like it was Halloween candy, even to Mr. Campaign Finance Reform himself. Tim Connolly Ward 7 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make a great connection at Yahoo! Personals. http://personals.yahoo.com _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
