County workers feed meters to protest fee hike

[Omaha Steve]

Full story: http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060727/NEWS01/607270331/1001

County workers feed meters to protest fee hike
Greg Kane
Record Staff Writer
Published Thursday, Jul 27, 2006

STOCKTON - More than 200 San Joaquin County employees armed with quarters, dimes and nickels took to the streets outside the County Courthouse on Wednesday morning to protest a hike in monthly parking fees.

The workers, members of Service Employees International Union Local 790, fed parking meters lining East Weber Avenue and other streets surrounding the courthouse to protest a $3 rate increase, to $62 a month, said Stephanie Batey, the union's local staff director.

The workers fed the meters for motorists parking in the area to talk to them about the issue, according to a prepared statement from the union.

Organizers said most of the county's thousands of downtown workers now have to pay $744 a year for parking. The county's five-member Board of Supervisors, however, doesn't have to pay for the same privilege, Batey said.

[seriousstan]

1. In many cities this is illlegal.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Glad they did that

a good tactic, as it opened a dialog on a very positive note. Board of Supers better have to start paying for parking too-sure, it won't make a big dent in the budget, but it's symbolic.