by

Poughkeepsie Government Working For Us

common council meeting in session
com­mon coun­cil meet­ing in session

For the first time this evening I got involved in the muck of local pol­i­tics. I joined many oth­er busi­ness owners

lower main by the Hudson , no pay stations
low­er main by the Hudson , no pay stations

who are less than pleased with the way the new Parking

pay sta­tions were shoved down our throats

Literally every busi­ness own­er who tes­ti­fied, yours tru­ly includ­ed, point­ed to pre­cip­i­tous drop-offs in busi­ness since the new Pay sta­tions were installed.

Many also point­ed to the fact that the pay sta­tions are notably absent from the cir­cle at the bot­tom of main street close to the Hudson River. They argued there are busi­ness­es peo­ple in that area that are friend­ly with peo­ple of pow­er in City Hall. This Blogger is unable to sub­stan­ti­ate those claims . What I know is that there are no pay sta­tions in that Area . Which is clos­er to where the Mayor’s father has his business.

Coincidence ? Maybe , but it smells to high heav­en. Restaurant own­ers are com­plain­ing they will be forced to lay off work­ers . They com­plain of what they char­ac­ter­ize as a tick­et­ing blitz under­way. I thought it was real­ly iron­ic that we the busi­ness own­ers who pay the tax­es to hire these cops and tick­et agents, are unable to make a liv­ing because they write tick­ets which keeps our cus­tomers away .

Maybe it’s not such a bad idea if we can­not afford the tax­es, maybe then they may be forced to cut some of the dead-wood.

Just maybe.