June 18, 2009 —

Dear Chamber members:
 
With no notice and plenty of surprise, the downtown Annapolis business community awoke last week to news that monthly parking fees in downtown Annapolis will increase by 57 percent, hourly parking fees by 60 percent, and maximum daily parking rates by 60 percent on July 1 of this year. The fee increases are part of the 2010 fiscal budget passed by the City Council several weeks ago. Notices arrived in the billing statements sent to monthly permit holders and in fliers handed out by parking attendants at the Hillman Garage and other parking facilities around the city.
 
The approved parking fee increases were slipped into the City's FY 2010 budget after public hearings were conducted, with no opportunity for public comment from the business community and other concerned citizens prior to a vote on the budget.
 
Since the arrival of this unwelcome news, the Chamber of Commerce, along with the ABA and other concerned citizens in Ward 1, have been working to delay implementation of the fee increases, so that the business community may present their concerns and seek a reduction in the magnitude of the fee increases.
 
Through our efforts, the City Council agreed to refer the parking fee increases back to the Finance and Economic Matters Committees of the City Council. The Economic Matters Committee met last Monday night and received testimony from members of our Chamber Board of Directors, representatives from the ABA, Ward 1 residents, and me.
 
As a result of our testimony, the Economic Matters Committee of the City Council agreed to submit a resolution to the full City Council seeking a delay in the fee increases, so that the business community may present its case for reducing the magnitude of the increase.
 
On Monday evening at 7:00 p.m., June 22, the City Council will consider the resolution prepared and submitted by the Economic Matters Committee. If implementation of the fee increases are to be postponed, then the resolution must receive a majority vote of the City Council that night.
 
Over the past couple of days, I have personally met with the Mayor and talked with City Aldermen to keep the resolution process moving forward. Nothing is certain yet, and I will continue to meet and talk with City Aldermen prior to Monday night's meeting to secure their vote for the resolution.
 
Those Chamber members affected by the parking fee increases are encouraged to attend the City Council meeting to show support for delaying implementation of the fee increases.
 
The Chamber of Commerce seeks nothing more than fairness that can be assured in a process guided by accurate information, public disclosure, and public discourse.
Parking fee increases have been part of city budget discussions for many years. Proposed fee increases have always been subject to an open, and at times spirited, public debate. Unfortunately, such was not the case this year.
 
The request by the Chamber of Commerce for reconsideration of the parking fee increases in this year's city budget is not unreasonable given the circumstances under which the fee increases were adopted, the need to redress a significant shortcoming in the process, and the desire to seek a collaborative, rather than adversarial, approach to resolving this concern.
 
If you have any questions, please contact me at rburdon@aaaccc.org or by phone at 410-266-3960.

Sincerely,
Bob Burdon
President/CEO
Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce, Inc.