Did you hear Councilman Ramon Hache suggest that because most employees in the CBD make minimum wage the Village of Ridgewood should give those employees free parking. So let me understand this Councilman because the employers only pay their employees minimum wage it now becomes the Village taxpayers responsible to supplement there income by giving them free parking. How are you going to know if they are indeed being paid minimum wage Councilman ask for their w 2 before you give them free parking ?
Actually, wasn’t it the business owner from abroad who suggested that?
Frankly, it’s Not a terrible idea. Park employee cars at vets/Graydon rhs as seasonally appropriate and “bus” them in.
Ramon is trying to work with everyone. He is listening to suggestions and commenting on them off the cuff. I’d ease up a bit.
Create employee parking (at reduced rate) in spots that are underutilized in the CBD.
Another cheap solution.
Next he will want the meters changed to except EBT cards. Hey Councilman since you are in such a generous mood when giving away taxpayer money how about free parking for senior citizens or perhaps veterans. I think maybe he s turning into a Chamber/Guild lackey.
Whatever. I think the decision at the end was to significantly discount employee parking (not free) as an incentive for them to park in the farther and underutilized spots. Now the employers need to do their part to enforce this.
Business owners who allow their employees to park anywhere except the designated employee parking areas deserve to have their businesses fail.
I was upset when Mr. Hache emphatically stated that he would be opposed to NJ Transit building a parking garage unless the Village had “complete control.” Mr. Hache: You can’t have your cake and it it too. Got that; YOU CAN’T HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO.
If NJ Transit is willing to completely fund a parking garage, there are only 2 things you and your fellow Council members should be concerned with – the garage location and appearance – nothing else. Let NJ Transit worry about rate structure, hours of operation, resident/non resident allocations, etc. The Village should take a hands off approach – history has shown that we’re incapable of managing large projects; let’s not try it again.
Ease up on Ramon. He is just trying to come up with a solutiuon. I do not agree that employees should have free parking while shoppers have to pay. I do think that the Tony Damianos of the world should pay for their employees to park.
that is what they are doing @11:54
No 11:29 the business owner complained about the parking the Councilman came up with that solution on his own.
Ramon is trying to do the right thing. However, this is the wrong thing. Employees should not park for free when shoppers have to pay. That makes no sense. If shop owners want to pay for their employees’ parking that would make sense. After all, if they are paying them so damn little when why not at least pay for their parking?
The employers should pay for employee parking, full price at whatever it is for everyone else. Maybe then town rulers will understand Glen Rock better.
Remember when shop owners, workers could give CUSTOMERS special coins for the parking meters. What about that!
Agree with 5:26 and 5:34 but appreciate that Ramon empathizes with the plight of the workers who do not earn much.
That bull 5:54 let him empathize with his own money not taxpayers.
Yes, 5:34 I do remember that!
YES!
I agree.
I think the workers are incapable of figuring out how to manage their money and make some budgetary decisions in their lives.
We ought to teach them early on that they DO NOT have to make hard decisions and that “the government” will swoop in and take care of them.
The LAST thing we want to teach these workers is that they are strong enough and smart enough to figure it out by themselves and stand on their own.
You people disgust me.
Politicians who like to give away money disgust me 8:26
WHAT??? I was at that meeting and that is not what Councilman Hache said. He was supporting a reduction in the parking fee at Cottage Pl for 60 spots to be set aside for employee parking. It was just for those spots only. He suggested reducing the rate to 25 cents. It was a suggestion in order to get employees to use that lot instead of parking on the street, which will open up spots for customers. And yes, it could also help some of the employees who are minimum wage earners. The free parking was suggested by somebody else.
‘you people’ – really 8:26pm? 3.5 more years.
Why don’t you dig into your pocket 10:06 and help the employees out 10:06 and stay out of mine.
Offering reduced parking in underutilized spots is not a giveaway to employees.
It is simple economics when you create a monetary incentive to influence behavior.
The other side of the equation should be to substantially penalize repeat parkers. (ie employees)
So we have underutilized parking spots but we need to build a 8 million parking garage.
@8:06, yes we have many underutilized spots. Most people (employees included) are too lazy or it is not convenient to park some distance from your destination so an economic incentive is needed for encouragement. A garage would have the same problem if your destination is not in that immediate area.