
How does anyone that has half a brain think that we as Village tax payers should pay for a parking garage in order to prop up the various trinket stores or shops in this town? Online shopping is not going away and will only get bigger. The argument that we need a garage to accommodate shoppers is absolutely incredible. If shop owners in this town think that slumping sales are due to lack of parking near their stores and not due to Amazon and other related online outlets, they are in denial. We all need to come to the realization that the retail landscape is forever changed, by building a garage, we are not going to stop or slow the inevitable outcome. If stores have to close, as unfortunate as that is, it’s reality….hopefully, fixed costs such as rent going down etc will help alleviate the pain of slower sales, but don’t be fooled…there is less foot traffic for retail and it’s only getting worse. I’ve sat here and read all the arguments for a garage, all claiming that no ones coming to Ridgewood to shop because of lack of parking….really? Are we that gullible to believe that? Less people are coming to this village because they can sit at home, go online and get whatever they order in a day or two…FACT.