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One big city paying a company to make money off its parking meters

GasBuddy Blog -- Can you imagine the day where a city decides to give its parking meters to an outside for-profit company? Well one U.S. city did that, and not only are the motorists there paying huge increases in parking rates, but the city itself will likely end up paying the entire amount that was given to them for the meters back to the company now operating and profiting off them.

That's right- more corruption in the Windy City, and you can be sure that as governments sell off their assets this could happen more and more! The Windy City already sold a toll-road bridge to a private entity and guess what happened to the toll rate? It jumped. It's now nearly double what it was just years ago.

So imagine this- Chicago sold its parking...

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Submitted May 08, 2012 By: PD

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D61 Rookie Author British Columbia Posts:90 Points:82,575 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: May 23, 2012 9:39:53 AM Ignore D61 Report Abuse Kick backs help gov.pentions
blueBMW480 Champion Author Nashville Posts:818,391 Points:839,765 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: May 14, 2012 8:03:37 PM Ignore blueBMW480 Report Abuse Ok
StillWillIV Sophomore Author South Bend Posts:185 Points:361,995 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: May 14, 2012 10:34:09 AM Ignore StillWillIV Report Abuse Whats new...
belladog Champion Author Mobile Posts:2,585 Points:935,190 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: May 14, 2012 9:05:00 AM Ignore belladog Report Abuse if i lived in chicago, you couldn't pay me to go to the city
albert2008 Champion Author Winnipeg Posts:7,347 Points:1,480,035 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: May 14, 2012 8:37:02 AM Ignore albert2008 Report Abuse whatever works i quess
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,610 Points:1,608,545 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: May 14, 2012 5:37:54 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse of course, it may be cheaper for the city in the long run since there are no labor costs, no benefits, no pension costs associated w/ the outside company.
txrojo2005 All-Star Author Austin Posts:765 Points:478,810 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: May 13, 2012 4:44:18 PM Ignore txrojo2005 Report Abuse What do you expect from Chicago?
clpassenubye Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:3,359 Points:752,605 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: May 13, 2012 2:18:52 PM Ignore clpassenubye Report Abuse ridiculous
Donatelo Champion Author Dayton Posts:1,121 Points:292,685 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: May 13, 2012 11:04:16 AM Ignore Donatelo Report Abuse ok
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,610 Points:1,608,545 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: May 13, 2012 8:56:50 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse no surprise.
CapriceWagon All-Star Author Washington Posts:934 Points:478,095 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: May 11, 2012 11:08:38 AM Ignore CapriceWagon Report Abuse I don't know how such inept people get voted into office...
Tomeboy Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:3,764 Points:558,690 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: May 11, 2012 1:28:00 AM Ignore Tomeboy Report Abuse What a fiasco!!
finishline Rookie Author Chicago Posts:2 Points:140 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: May 10, 2012 8:24:52 PM Ignore finishline Report Abuse Break the contract and take the losses out of Daley's Pension !
Donatelo Champion Author Dayton Posts:1,121 Points:292,685 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: May 10, 2012 3:01:00 PM Ignore Donatelo Report Abuse ok
finishline Rookie Author Chicago Posts:2 Points:140 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: May 10, 2012 2:55:25 PM Ignore finishline Report Abuse Did I stutter... contracts were made to be Broken !
albert2008 Champion Author Winnipeg Posts:7,347 Points:1,480,035 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: May 10, 2012 8:12:41 AM Ignore albert2008 Report Abuse not good
DrCashFlow Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:7,064 Points:1,626,250 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 9:53:46 PM Ignore DrCashFlow Report Abuse What's the kickback ratio?
Tommyguns45 Sophomore Author Illinois Posts:214 Points:132,045 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 4:50:16 PM Ignore Tommyguns45 Report Abuse If Mayor Daley and the gang didnt before he left office, Obamas friend Rahm Emanuel would.
MikeMotorhead All-Star Author Detroit Posts:750 Points:527,090 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 3:49:10 PM Ignore MikeMotorhead Report Abuse oops...
SUV2009 Champion Author Orlando Posts:4,408 Points:1,142,240 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 3:17:45 PM Ignore SUV2009 Report Abuse Okay so how does this effect gas prices?
Grismer Champion Author Kitchener-Waterloo Posts:8,529 Points:1,723,070 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 2:12:57 PM Ignore Grismer Report Abuse IInept government is not hard to imagine. Tolerance for such incompetence is!
Tomeboy Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:3,764 Points:558,690 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 2:07:24 PM Ignore Tomeboy Report Abuse dastard57 message posted: May 9, 2012 11:42:29 AM @tustinDad - I strongly disagree! The red light cameras are bad idea because they violate constitutional law, not because they are run by private companies. Even if the city ran and fully financed them, you still have the same problem, which is, one has the right to face their accuser when charged with a crime. A camera cannot testify or appear in court, which is the reason the Los Angeles County Superior court system stopped prosecuting such violations and why the city of Los Angeles has voted to discontinue the program. Tomeboy reply: Same scenario here in Minneapolis. Apr 5, 2007 Minnesota Supreme Court Strikes Down Red Light Cameras The Minnesota Supreme Court delivers a unanimous decision striking down the legality of red light cameras. The Minnesota Supreme Court today delivered the highest-level court rebuke to photo enforcement to date with a unanimous decision against the Minneapolis red light camera program. The high court upheld last September's Court of Appeals decision that found the city's program had violated state law. The supreme court found that Minneapolis had disregarded a state law imposing uniformity of traffic laws across the state. The city's photo ticket program offered the accused fewer due process protections than available to motorists prosecuted for the same offense in the conventional way after having been pulled over by a policeman. The court argued that Minneapolis had, in effect, created a new type of crime: "owner liability for red-light violations where the owner neither required nor knowingly permitted the violation." The court also struck down the "rebutable presumption" doctrine that lies at the heart of every civil photo enforcement ordinance across the country. "The problem with the presumption that the owner was the driver is that it eliminates the presumption of innocence and shifts the burden of proof from that required by the rules of criminal procedure," the court concluded. "Therefore the ordinance provides less procedural protection to a person charged with an ordinance violation than is provided to a person charged with a violation of the Act. Accordingly, the ordinance conflicts with the Act and is invalid."
wang91554 Champion Author San Jose Posts:3,165 Points:1,200,830 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 2:03:29 PM Ignore wang91554 Report Abuse politicians and business people bargaining usually do not have fair outcomes.
honkerman Champion Author San Jose Posts:44,237 Points:2,396,120 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 2:02:28 PM Ignore honkerman Report Abuse Eliminate organized crime Re-elect no one.
lightbulbman2008 Champion Author Worcester Posts:414,500 Points:1,586,660 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:53:11 PM Ignore lightbulbman2008 Report Abuse fraud
bongobro Champion Author St. Louis Posts:14,511 Points:2,322,790 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:52:51 PM Ignore bongobro Report Abuse Bring plenty of quarters to Chicago...you'll need them...just don't set off the metal detector at Midway or O'Hare!
LSU_TIGERS_dmb Champion Author Louisiana Posts:1,714 Points:619,895 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:52:40 PM Ignore LSU_TIGERS_dmb Report Abuse Gov at work.. Shows just how dumb Dem are
Tomeboy Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:3,764 Points:558,690 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:51:55 PM Ignore Tomeboy Report Abuse apiergallini message posted: May 9, 2012 12:28:54 PM apiergallini... I like your explanation below. Well said!! [Edited by: Tomeboy at 5/9/2012 1:55:17 PM EST]
SBlouch Champion Author San Antonio Posts:8,725 Points:1,858,290 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:51:17 PM Ignore SBlouch Report Abuse Chicago at its old ways of finding more ways to make money off their people. Corruption at its finest. Wonder WHO is getting a kick back from this deal???
NoStrings Champion Author Ventura Posts:1,387 Points:271,280 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:50:54 PM Ignore NoStrings Report Abuse not right
lowpet All-Star Author Texas Posts:527 Points:86,915 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:47:51 PM Ignore lowpet Report Abuse Glad i don't live in chicago
AcuraTSX Champion Author Ohio Posts:5,489 Points:2,181,155 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:46:31 PM Ignore AcuraTSX Report Abuse OK
gumbyrex Champion Author Fresno Posts:3,296 Points:758,315 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:43:31 PM Ignore gumbyrex Report Abuse No wonder our governmental agencies are going broke, they aren't running the agencies as a business. They are providing services more as an entitilement than a paid service. The agencies apparently aren't even charging enough to break even.
chevellefan Champion Author Georgia Posts:2,723 Points:591,595 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:42:27 PM Ignore chevellefan Report Abuse k
frugalking Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:1,067 Points:218,445 Joined:Mar 2010	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:39:00 PM Ignore frugalking Report Abuse Chicago = the California of the Midwest. They are both a huge, scary hot mess!
wulf2000 Champion Author Miami Posts:3,027 Points:1,388,480 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:37:56 PM Ignore wulf2000 Report Abuse This is Chicago where corruption rules.
seahawks Champion Author Washington Posts:3,227 Points:1,963,745 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:37:34 PM Ignore seahawks Report Abuse interesting $$$
TWS658 Champion Author Portland Posts:4,543 Points:950,875 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:34:10 PM Ignore TWS658 Report Abuse Just another reason I avoid Chicago
slowpoke63 Champion Author Louisiana Posts:2,737 Points:886,390 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:32:46 PM Ignore slowpoke63 Report Abuse ok
tomok Champion Author Portland Posts:32,987 Points:2,344,535 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:32:00 PM Ignore tomok Report Abuse This is not right! Paying a company to make money off the cities own parking meters? Employ city workers to collect and process the parking meter money. There are many honest people that would enjoy a job like this and be very happy doing it! Whatever the size or shape of the vehicle, Produce and ‘Drive’ vehicles with high MPG, are very reliable, have a ‘reasonable’ cost and a good ‘value’ for the money. Consider using other forms of less expensive transportation to lower your cost, if possible. The price of fuel at the pump is too high! 12/22/2012!
csbfb73 Rookie Author Austin Posts:1 Points:261,195 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:31:15 PM Ignore csbfb73 Report Abuse The article is slightly misleading. When considering 75 years the time value of money comes into play. The present value of a annuity with $14 million payments over 75 years at 3% inflation is $415.8 million. But that number doesn't quite have the effect they wanted.
DaisysMomNC All-Star Author North Carolina Posts:959 Points:200,850 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:30:46 PM Ignore DaisysMomNC Report Abuse That sounds like Chicago!! We saw some really bazaar things happen when we lived in that area- like the night Mayor Daily bull dozed the downtown airport when the citizens didn't vote to make a park there so he just took it upon himself to do it anyway. That is a crazy city!!!
heartbroken2010 Champion Author Ottawa Posts:4,339 Points:896,560 Joined:Aug 2010	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:29:28 PM Ignore heartbroken2010 Report Abuse Hmm.
apiergallini Veteran Author North Carolina Posts:389 Points:244,855 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:28:54 PM Ignore apiergallini Report Abuse When the government is running something, the majority of posters here on GB chant "privatize, privatize!" Now that it's been done, and you got your wish, it's somehow because of Democratic corruption? You got what you wanted, and now you're trying to shift the blame for the bad results to the other side. Obviously, they should not have voted to adopt a contract none of them had read, and obviously it was written in such a way that it seriously benefited CPM to the detriment of the city, but that doesn't make it corruption. How many people actually read the Patriot Act before they voted on it days after 9/11? When has deregulation or privatization led to lower costs for the consumer? When I was in the Marines, they were transitioning from a Marine-controlled IT infrastructure, where we ran the networks, units purchases their own computers, and Marines would go fix an issue shortly after it was reported, to a contractor-controlled infrastructure, where they ran the networks, we LEASED laptops at a rate of like $3,000 per YEAR, and trouble calls were allowed to take up to 72 hours before work began on them, per the agreement. Privatization worked out so well, and saved so much money, that the Department of the Navy declined to renew the contract. The parking meter debacle is just another example of privatization making things worse and more expensive.
suzyq2007 Champion Author Dallas Posts:7,164 Points:1,649,950 Joined:Oct 2007	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:28:37 PM Ignore suzyq2007 Report Abuse stupidity at its worst. whoever made this decision should be put in jail
dongo50 Champion Author West Virginia Posts:14,684 Points:2,379,070 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:27:52 PM Ignore dongo50 Report Abuse another crock of dung.
Bruno44 Champion Author Texas Posts:7,070 Points:1,767,220 Joined:Sep 2007	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:27:04 PM Ignore Bruno44 Report Abuse Greed!!!
crusader1975 Champion Author Louisiana Posts:1,134 Points:308,475 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:25:36 PM Ignore crusader1975 Report Abuse It's not about safety or whether someone is breaking the law. It's all about the $$$.
OnEmptyMO Champion Author St. Louis Posts:4,986 Points:1,487,640 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:25:18 PM Ignore OnEmptyMO Report Abuse Watch your pockets!
jcotaxi Champion Author South Bend Posts:1,755 Points:359,105 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: May 9, 2012 1:24:39 PM Ignore jcotaxi Report Abuse Corruption usually occurs when governments change things. The corrupting parties continue to point the finger at others as a distraction. Then they move in. This is progressivism.