PRINCETON: Split council passes new parking fees

By Greg Forester, Staff Writer
   Princeton Borough Council has adopted a pair of controversial ordinances that mean an end to reduced parking garage rates and free street parking on Sundays in the borough’s central business district.
   Also, metered hours will expand from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. from Monday to Saturday in the same district, which lies between Nassau Street, Chambers Street, Paul Robeson Place and Vandeventer Avenue, under one of the amendments. Under the other garage users will see the reduced, 25-cent hourly rate on Sundays replaced by normal rates in borough garages like the facility on Spring Street.
   The twin measures, adopted Tuesday, will generate $400,000 in revenue for use in balancing the borough budget, helping local officials keep a promise to shield taxpayers from any municipal tax increases. Without the $400,000 in revenue, the average homeowner would have to pay an extra $152 in taxes, according to Councilman Roger Martindell, who supported both measures.
   Mr. Martindell said Thursday that the measures were the borough’s attempt to “balance the budget in a way that equitably distributes the cost of government,” noting parking revenues had declined from 45 percent to 33 percent of local revenues from 1998 to 2008.
   ”This is not an effort to make it more difficult for the merchants or the customers,” Mr. Martindell said. “This is only an effort to achieve equity by spreading the cost of local government to a wider area than just the local taxpayer.”
   The amendments, however, have quickly drawn the ire of merchants who say the regulations will hamper business and make competition in shopping malls and along the Route 1 corridor more attractive. More than 20 merchants attended the Tuesday council meeting to express their opposition, according to Henry Landau, of Landau of Princeton, on Nassau Street, who said the ordinances will add to the economic woes of borough businesses.
   ”Every retail business in this town has extended hours, cut help or looked at every expense they can cut,” said Mr. Landau, who noted the rules threaten to drive patrons out of town in a variety of ways. “You need to do whatever you can to entice people into town.”
   Mitch Forest, of Forest Jewelers, on Nassau Street, said the amendments come at the worst possible time, during a poor economy and increased competition from the areas surrounding Princeton and Web-based businesses.
   ”They will effectively kill business in Princeton,” Mr. Forest said.
   The parking changes could mean job losses, reduced ratables and impact not only out-of-towners but also borough residents who opt to drive into the downtown for shopping or dining, according to Mr. Forest.
   Doris Figueroa, of The Place to Bead, on Witherspoon Street, said the amendments definitely threaten her business.
   She said she holds classes and private lessons at the bead and jewelry store on Sundays so patrons can take advantage of free parking.
   ”I absolutely think this is going to impact my business,” Ms. Figueroa said.
   Borough resident Peter Wolanin attended Tuesday’s meeting in support of the ordinances.
   ”As a local homeowner, I was interested in seeing increased revenues to hold down the tax increase,” said Mr. Wolanin on Thursday.
   The votes for each ordinance at Tuesday’s contentious meeting were split.
   Council members Mr. Martindell, Kevin Wilkes and Barbara Trelstad supported the parking garage amendment while councilmen Andrew Koontz and David Goldfarb voted against it. Mr. Martindell, Mr. Wilkes and Mr. Goldfarb supported the parking meter amendment. Ms. Trelstad and Mr. Koontz voted against it.
   Councilman Kevin Wilkes said Tuesday’s vote was the most difficult of his year-plus on Borough Council.
   ”I felt compelled to do it in light of the borough’s present financial situation,” said Mr. Wilkes “I have been uneasy about it.”
   Borough Administrator Robert Bruschi said the borough intends to slowly establish the new rules, which require new signage, parking meter adjustments and other work.
   Initially, violators face warnings instead of actual summonses and fines.
   Also, a communications campaign to advise motorists of the variety of parking opportunities outside of the central business district and in other areas is planned by the borough, Mr. Bruschi said.
   ”We’ll give people as much time as we can to adapt to the new rules,” Mr. Bruschi said.
   A move to up parking meter fines from $33 to $50 or more has not occurred yet, according to borough officials, who said such a revision could only be initiated by the local municipal judge, rather than Borough Council.