I too will boycott all of Charlevoix. We all are having to make major cut backs in own own lives, but they (the city and county) seem to be on a different planet. In my eyes they have become a self serving entity that does not reflect the people they are paid to serve. We should contact other counties and/or cities and see if we can change masters.
De Oppresso Liber
(I am now stepping off my soapbox)
Parking fees at the Charlevoix airport
Moderator: Gillespie
Code: Select all
Current (Effective 4-1-2009) Old Price
Vehicle parking fees
day $ 3 $ 2
overnight $ 5 $ 3
weekly $ 20 $ 15
monthly $ 60 $ 45
6 months $110 $ 75
6 months premium $200 $150
Annual $200 $150
Annual premium $365 $350
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Kim Connaghan Jones
- Posts: 146
- Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 10:52 pm
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kerriegillespie
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Sun May 04, 2008 5:04 am
- Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Thanks for the information Jeff
I don't read between the lines well, so I'll wait for your reply to help me see the point I missed
Oh and F.Y.I. Mr. Pike lives in Grand Rapids and loves to come to Beaver Island. He likes the pace here, taking walks with his grandkids down a dirt road and watching the deer graze at dusk. He loves to walk around town and grab a burger at the Shamrock. Slip in for a cup of coffee and cinnamon roll in the morning at Dahwhinnie's, then over to McDonaugh's for a few groceries. He's bought a ticket for the BIRHC vehicle raffle each of the last 5 years. He stood with his hat over his heart last year when the hearse slowly made it's way from the dock to the cemetery. He didn't know the lady that died, he just stopped to pay his respects to her and her family...that's just the way he was raised. I guess we all have our reasons for coming to Beaver Island and for asking the questions we ask. Get to know us before you jump us. This world is full of people who have a point to prove. I'm sorry you missed mine.
Kraig
I don't read between the lines well, so I'll wait for your reply to help me see the point I missed
Oh and F.Y.I. Mr. Pike lives in Grand Rapids and loves to come to Beaver Island. He likes the pace here, taking walks with his grandkids down a dirt road and watching the deer graze at dusk. He loves to walk around town and grab a burger at the Shamrock. Slip in for a cup of coffee and cinnamon roll in the morning at Dahwhinnie's, then over to McDonaugh's for a few groceries. He's bought a ticket for the BIRHC vehicle raffle each of the last 5 years. He stood with his hat over his heart last year when the hearse slowly made it's way from the dock to the cemetery. He didn't know the lady that died, he just stopped to pay his respects to her and her family...that's just the way he was raised. I guess we all have our reasons for coming to Beaver Island and for asking the questions we ask. Get to know us before you jump us. This world is full of people who have a point to prove. I'm sorry you missed mine.
Kraig
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Stephen C. West
- Posts: 186
- Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:17 am
Very good questions indeed. I wonder if the "light a torch - have a boycott" fellows considered asking it?K.A. Pike wrote:Could someone please help me put this in context.
How much was a annual parking permit last year?
What is it now?
When was the last time it was raised?
How much did it go up last time?
Kraig
Naaaaaaaaaaaaa-
Frank Solle
- Posts: 139
- Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:52 am
Hmmm. These new rates seem to be fairly arbitrary. I wonder how they were determined â?? what study or what data was collected to determine how much increase was necessary for each of these numerous parking options?
Letâ??s review what has happened:
The day rate jumped 50%
The overnight rate jumped a whopping 67%
The weekly and monthly rates jumped 33%
The 6-month rate jumped (just as you would expect) 47%
The 6-month premium rate (I donâ??t know what makes this special) jumped 33%
The yearly rate jumped 33%
And the yearly premium rate moved up a mere 4.29% (thereâ??s your deal)
Looking at it like this certainly makes it all seem logical, doesnâ??t it? I didnâ??t think so.
I especially like how, if you parked your car at 8am and flew back at 8pm it would cost you $3, but if you parked at 8pm and returned at 8am it would cost you $5. I guess we all know that night time is the right time (if youâ??re the city of Charlevoix).
But letâ??s look on the bright side. While you still get three weeks for the price of four if you go with the monthly rate over the weekly, you now save yourself $20 instead of just $15!
Somewhere I remember it being said/posted that the parking rates havenâ??t gone up in five years. If thatâ??s true, then I suppose some increase is in order, given the parking lot improvements that have taken place during that time. But still â?¦
Checking the cost of living adjustments (COLA) changes posted by the Social Security Administration it seems they have increased benefits 20.3% from 2004 (including a large 5.8% for 2009, the largest increase since 1982). I donâ??t know if this is the final word on the changing face/pace of our economy, but one would have to think they know whatâ??s what given they base this on Consumer Price Index as compiled by the Dept. of Labor (or, as we American Euro-progressives would say, Labour).
With that in mind, letâ??s look at where the parking rates would be if kept in line with the (rounded down) 20% COLA increase over the last five years (this is not an endorsement for these figures, just another way to crunch some numbers):
daily: $2.40
overnight: $3.60 (I still donâ??t care for this distinction)
weekly: $18.00
monthly: $54.00
6-mo: $90.00
6-mo prem: $180
yearly: $180
yearly prem: $420 (if all rates are going up, all rates should go up evenly)
I guess this begs the question of whether the city is trying to keep up with inflation (who isnâ??t) or trying to make as much money as possible from a somewhat captured clientele.
I way somewhat captured as there are other options, such as paying for off-site, covered parking. I admit to doing this as it just seems a better way to care for your car, plus thereâ??s never a snow-buried car to shovel out in the midst of winter (is this a premium perk?) or a steamy, sun-baked, sauna-mobile awaiting you in summer.
Regardless whether you park at the airport full-time or only part-time, the change, which goes into effect today (and apparently is no joking matter) is basically out of our control as, despite the â??repealâ?? of the enplanement tax, we really have little to no say in the workings of the Charlevoix city government. As a point, I would suggest this new pricing scheme was well in the works when the mayor and his pals were here for the public meeting.
Perhaps this increase will help offset the high utility charges that were unknown by the airport manager that day. Perhaps itâ??s designed to offset the loss of the imagined $1 enplanement tax. Then again, maybe itâ??s just another case of having to do something, even if itâ??s wrong.
Letâ??s review what has happened:
The day rate jumped 50%
The overnight rate jumped a whopping 67%
The weekly and monthly rates jumped 33%
The 6-month rate jumped (just as you would expect) 47%
The 6-month premium rate (I donâ??t know what makes this special) jumped 33%
The yearly rate jumped 33%
And the yearly premium rate moved up a mere 4.29% (thereâ??s your deal)
Looking at it like this certainly makes it all seem logical, doesnâ??t it? I didnâ??t think so.
I especially like how, if you parked your car at 8am and flew back at 8pm it would cost you $3, but if you parked at 8pm and returned at 8am it would cost you $5. I guess we all know that night time is the right time (if youâ??re the city of Charlevoix).
But letâ??s look on the bright side. While you still get three weeks for the price of four if you go with the monthly rate over the weekly, you now save yourself $20 instead of just $15!
Somewhere I remember it being said/posted that the parking rates havenâ??t gone up in five years. If thatâ??s true, then I suppose some increase is in order, given the parking lot improvements that have taken place during that time. But still â?¦
Checking the cost of living adjustments (COLA) changes posted by the Social Security Administration it seems they have increased benefits 20.3% from 2004 (including a large 5.8% for 2009, the largest increase since 1982). I donâ??t know if this is the final word on the changing face/pace of our economy, but one would have to think they know whatâ??s what given they base this on Consumer Price Index as compiled by the Dept. of Labor (or, as we American Euro-progressives would say, Labour).
With that in mind, letâ??s look at where the parking rates would be if kept in line with the (rounded down) 20% COLA increase over the last five years (this is not an endorsement for these figures, just another way to crunch some numbers):
daily: $2.40
overnight: $3.60 (I still donâ??t care for this distinction)
weekly: $18.00
monthly: $54.00
6-mo: $90.00
6-mo prem: $180
yearly: $180
yearly prem: $420 (if all rates are going up, all rates should go up evenly)
I guess this begs the question of whether the city is trying to keep up with inflation (who isnâ??t) or trying to make as much money as possible from a somewhat captured clientele.
I way somewhat captured as there are other options, such as paying for off-site, covered parking. I admit to doing this as it just seems a better way to care for your car, plus thereâ??s never a snow-buried car to shovel out in the midst of winter (is this a premium perk?) or a steamy, sun-baked, sauna-mobile awaiting you in summer.
Regardless whether you park at the airport full-time or only part-time, the change, which goes into effect today (and apparently is no joking matter) is basically out of our control as, despite the â??repealâ?? of the enplanement tax, we really have little to no say in the workings of the Charlevoix city government. As a point, I would suggest this new pricing scheme was well in the works when the mayor and his pals were here for the public meeting.
Perhaps this increase will help offset the high utility charges that were unknown by the airport manager that day. Perhaps itâ??s designed to offset the loss of the imagined $1 enplanement tax. Then again, maybe itâ??s just another case of having to do something, even if itâ??s wrong.
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Stephen C. West
- Posts: 186
- Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:17 am
".................are other options, such as paying for off-site, covered parking. I admit to doing this as it just seems a better way to care for your car, plus thereâ??s never a snow-buried car to shovel out in the midst of winter (is this a premium perk?) or a steamy, sun-baked, sauna-mobile awaiting you in summer" ................. said Frank.
Yes sir free markets are wonderful things even for "Euro-progressives." Sounds like Frank is the winner - citys loss.
The April NorthernIslander (page 5) reports on other parking options in the works. Lower prices likely! Wonder why?
Yeper capitalism does seam to work. When the price is "too high" you get less of it. Could it be that a boycott of Charlevoix is the wrong idea?
Perhaps a change in parking vender is a good one. 
Yes sir free markets are wonderful things even for "Euro-progressives." Sounds like Frank is the winner - citys loss.
The April NorthernIslander (page 5) reports on other parking options in the works. Lower prices likely! Wonder why?
Yeper capitalism does seam to work. When the price is "too high" you get less of it. Could it be that a boycott of Charlevoix is the wrong idea?
Perhaps a change in parking vender is a good one.