Why parking problems could cost city $13.5 million
By CHRIS FUSCO Staff Reporter / cfusco@suntimes.com
Using a formula in the 521-page meter-privatization deal inked by former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s administration, Chicago Parking Meters LLC has billed Chicago taxpayers $13.5 million to reimburse it for the number of people who parked for free using disability placards and license plates between Feb. 28, 2010, and Feb. 28, 2011.
Those drivers got $17.9 million of free parking for the yearlong period — only $4.4 million of which the company had to absorb, under the formula. The meter-privatization deal calls for taxpayers to pay Chicago Parking Meters the $13.5-million difference, the Sun-Times reported last week.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel is disputing the bill but concedes that many who park for free aren’t disabled.
Here are the top five dates in each zone of the city where Chicago Parking Meters found widespread use of disabled-parking placards and license plates, along with the annual loss in meter revenue, based on the formula:
Central Business District, Zone 1
Bounded by North Avenue, Lake Michigan, Roosevelt Road and Halsted Street
Date Hourly rate Paying Parkers Disabled parkers Annual loss
Sept. 30 $4.25 868 1,103 $1.51 million
Dec. 15 $2.50 6,946 2,350 $1.47 million
Nov. 9 $4.25 859 1,081 $1.41 million
Sept. 30 $2.50 7,342 2,306 $1.36 million
Nov. 9 $2.50 6,976 2,084 $1.34 million
North Side, Zone 2
Bounded by north city limits, Lake Michigan, North Avenue and west city limits
Date Hourly rate Paying Parkers Disabled parkers Annual loss
Sept. 30 $1.25 1,085 227 $941,582
Dec. 15 $1.25 1,344 244 $774,170
Nov. 19 $1.25 1,110 199 $730,237
Aug. 18 $1.25 1,260 181 $628,906
Sept. 25 $1.25 1,679 230 $246,604
West Side, Zone 3
Bounded by North Avenue, Halsted Street, Roosevelt Road and west city limits
Date Hourly rate Paying Parkers Disabled parkers Annual loss
Sept. 30 $1.25 410 83 $224,047
Dec. 15 $1.25 399 81 $214,879
Aug. 18 $1.25 380 74 $209,516
Sept. 25 $1.25 385 54 $62,092
Aug. 21 $1.25 412 49 $51,183
South Side, Zone 4
Bounded by Roosevelt Road, Lake Michigan, south city limits and west city limits
Date Hourly rate Paying Parkers Disabled parkers Annual loss
Dec. 15 $1.25 415 148 $503,831
Sept. 30 $1.25 735 210 $446,381
Aug. 18 $1.25 485 88 $279,082
Nov. 9 $1.25 531 100 $277,917
Sept. 25 $1.25 618 100 $101,122
