By Katie Wagner, Staff Writer
Subsidized parking for patrons of the Princeton Public Library using the Spring Street Parking Garage will resume Monday morning, Borough Administrator Robert Bruschi said Thursday.
”I’m delighted,” said Deputy Mayor Margaret Karcher. “The borough and the township both worked very hard with the library to resolve this issue. We did it in the spirit of cooperation I’m sure that I speak from everyone on council when I say we’re very happy the issue of the library will benefit once again form subsidized parking in our parking garage. It was a long negotiation that really spanned many months and I’m glad that we were able to arrive at a settlement that was beneficial to the library patrons.”
An “interim” agreement restoring the subsidized parking was officially announced April 10 after a 14-month interruption that drew public criticism and eventually forced new negotiations between the township and the borough.
The arrangement providing two hours of free parking in the Spring Street garage was canceled in February 2007, when the two municipalities failed to agree on a cost-sharing formula for the program.
Under the new agreement, the two municipalities will share the cost on the same basis as all other library expenses. This will require both towns to increase their 2008 library contributions.
”I am pleased that our residents will be able to, once again, park in the borough’s parking garage, for up two hours at no out-of pocket expense,” said Mayor Marchand, in making the announcement last month.
”We welcome our residents back to using our garage, for up to two hours of subsidized parking, while using our wonderful library,” Mayor Trotman said in the same announcement.
Borough and township officials have said a more detailed, long-term agreement is likely to be worked out by the end of the year. The remaining issues are expected to include how each municipality will contribute beyond 2008 and whether eligibility for the two free hours will continue for all library users.
The municipal split has been the most contentious issue between township and borough, in part because the borough operates the garage and receives the parking revenue it generates. The eligibility issue has been raised by some officials as an argument against subsidized parking, their contention being that downtown shoppers were merely passing through the library to get two hours of free parking in the business district.
”I am quite confident we can reach a long-term agreement to guarantee parking for our library patrons by the end of the year,” said Borough Council President Peggy Karcher in the announcement.”
Members of the public, including former library trustees, have argued that the two municipalities took on a moral obligation to abide by public pledges of discounted parking when they signed off on the library’s current downtown location.
Library Director Leslie Burger has said that the February 2007 cancellation of the subsidy resulted in a decrease in library patronage.
