Is the Parking Authority on the Chopping Block?

The Parking Authority was a contentious subject at Monday night’s council meeting, when residents protested excessive parking tickets, the tax burden of the new parking garage and finally, from Councilman Michael Venezia, the very existence of the Parking Authority itself.

“Whether it’s giving 12,000 parking tickets to residents or [incurring] debt . . . I plan to put it on the agenda to abolish the Parking Authority,” stated Venezia.  “It should be under township control.”

The meeting began when Bloomfield residents Russell Mollica, Carol Humphreys, James Wollner and Sue Ann Penna came forward to discuss the Bloomfield Parking Authority’s $9,000,000 bond application hearing; specifically, the tax burden that would fall on Bloomfield residents as a result of the new parking garage in the new town development.  (The group's full statement can been seen here: ".)

The residents’ remarks were followed by protests from other residents about excessive ticketing practices.

“I have a big issue with the Parking Authority,” began resident Mike Zirolo.  “Within the last six months, we received $1,058 in parking tickets.  When I asked for some assistance from the Parking Authority, I received no help, no consideration whatsoever . . . and most of the time they were rude and nasty.”

“The parking is horrendous,” agreed Zirolo’s grandfather, Nick Fiorentino who spoke afterward.  “I object to the fact that the meter maid . . . stands by the meter and waits till it runs out.”

Another resident, Gary Iacobacci, stated that he had similar experiences, once while he was unloading his car in front of Budget Print.   “My car door was open . . . I came out forty five seconds later and she was writing a ticket.  I said, ‘what, are you kidding?’  She didn’t want to know anything.”

He continued, “Merchants are struggling.  And we’re giving out tickets. We’re asking taxpayers to pay back millions and millions of dollars for a bond.  What are they getting in return?  Tickets.  It’s absurd.”

Later in the meeting, Councilwoman Peggy O’Boyle Dunigan made a point of saying, “I believe everyone should put their money in the parking meter and if they don’t, they deserve a parking ticket.”

Venezia later explained his reasoning for wanting to abolish the Parking Authority as a self-governing entity.

“The Parking Authority is $16 million in debt and they collect roughly $600,000 in revenue a year,” he told Patch after the meeting. “If it’s under township control instead of the Parking Authority control, we would have more say in how it’s run.”

In the event of such a turnover, Venezia said his first order of business would be to “work better with small businesses, so store visitors aren’t always being hit at the meters.  I would get rid of parking meters and install Muni Meters,” he said.

“The debt keeps on rising and we get zero revenue," he added.  "[If the town ran it] we get the revenue, which will lead to more flexibility with our budget.”

He said the issue would be addressed at an upcoming council meeting August 20.

McCarthy said he was stunned by Venezia’s vow to abolish the Parking Authority.

“They stacked the Parking Authority and now they want to get rid of it?” marveled the mayor, referring to multiple Parking Authority appointments made by the council earlier this year. “Now [if the council takes control of the Parking Authority] the township of Bloomfield absorbs the $16 million debt.”

He went on, “All we do at this point is guarantee [the bond].  As they build the garage and sell off the land to Colgan, that money starts to come back in. As the garage operates, we make $4.6 million back.”

He added that the $600,000 brought in annually by the Parking Authority was enough to pay off its own debt. 

“If you have x-amount of dollars in your household budget and at the end of the day you’re not going into your savings, it’s a pretty good deal.”

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