Free parking (at SFO) for wealthy is revoked

[question everything]

Free parking for wealthy is revoked

ASSOCIATED PRESS

January 15, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO – More than 100 passes for unrestricted free parking at San Francisco International Airport were revoked after it was revealed that the passes were given to the wealthy and well-connected.

Airport officials took away the passes after coming under pressure from Mayor Gavin Newsom's office, which was concerned about the appearance of perks and patronage taken at public expense. The San Francisco Chronicle disclosed the existence of the passes last week.

Reps. George Miller, D-Martinez, and Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, were among the most prolific free parkers. In 2005, Miller parked 155 days and Pombo 136, according to the Chronicle.

There were more than 5,000 airport parking passes in circulation in the early 1990s. The number was cut to about 300 in 1999 after a grand jury criticized the practice. The passes, valued at $31.50 a day, can be used to park for free in the valet section of the airport's short-term lot.



Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060115/news_1n15parking.html

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. It costs $31.50 a day to park at the airport?

That is awful.

[Scooter24]

2. I think that is the highest possible cost

if someone chose to park their car in the valet parking lot.

Slightly high, but understandable in my opinion.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. What are you paying for?

Do they change your oil and gas up your vehicle also while it is parked there?

I think that is outrageous.

[MercutioATC]

6. You are paying for preferred parking.

That's what it costs to have your car in short-term valet parking.

I don't see it as outrageous.

[question everything]

7. Several months ago, in the Minneapolis St Paul airport

we parked at the regular lot (as opposed to short term one) for 30 hours. Even with the discount of using the automatic teller, we paid $30. So the SFO rate is not that much out of line, it seems.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. You could take a limo to the airport

for a lot less than that.

[question everything]

13. Not from our house - 26 miles

usually cost around $50 each way. And if you take the cab from the airport you are charged extra $2.00 or so - I don't even remember the reason. No doubt, since last summer with the increase in gasoline price, it is even more.

Thus, if we are gone just for a day or two, and it it is not in the dead of winter - who wants to encounter a dead battery? - we will leave the car there. If it is for a longer time - we take a taxi.

Interesting, though. Last year we landed on New Year's Day. A freezing rain all day with many flights canceled, abandoned carousels loaded with luggage and a long line for very few taxis.

Minneapolis just started a light rail that had a stop in the airport and was going to downtown. We each had suitcase so decided to take the rail - $1.25 each. Once in downtown Minneapolis we hailed a taxi that took us home for $26.00.

A great alternative when one does not have too much luggage to carry on stairs, works great in Chicago and even with the AirTrain to JFK from Manhattan.

[Gormy Cuss]

14. That's not the rate for the plebe parking

at the long term lots where you need to hop a shuttle bus for the short ride to the terminals. That rate is $12 or $13/day (even cheaper to park at the private park and ride lots off airport)

[TahitiNut]

4. Everyone knows that the wealthy deserve freebies.

After all, why should the wealthy have to pay? Haven't they proven themselves deserving of all public entitlements? Free box seats to the Super Bowl? For the wealthy people, of course! Free trips to Scotland? For the wealthy people, of course! Free greens fees at Pebble Beach? For the wealthy people, of course! (Throw in a new set of clubs, too!) It's really easy to just tack on a few pennies to the ordinary person's property taxes. After all, who'd notice a few pennies? It's just good politics to have welfare for the wealthy. That's the proven and time-honored way for many centuries. You see, the very word "entitlement" is based on the titles conferred on truly deserving people - Lords, Dukes, Princes, Barons, Sirs, etc. If it weren't for such people, we'd not even have "entitlements." Right? Let's try to remember that the only way an entitlement can be enforced is by the power of governments. Without government, a title ain't worth shit, right? Therefore, only the titled people deserve entitlements, right?

[noiretextatique]

10. it "trickles down," after all

:eyes: they need those free parking spaces because they are sooooooo busy investing in businesses to employ their lessers :eyes:

[linazelle]

5. In Chicago, they have valet parking only on city streets--public streets!!

UnREAL.

I paid $22 to park 1.5 hours while shopping there this past weekend.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. Time to take a cab.

[rucky]

12. I found that out the really expensive way

Thinking I could save a few bucks if we drove to Chicago.. I wouldv'e been better off taking a plane & riding the Ell.

[linazelle]

15. Hope you didn't get towed--that's happened to me...cost about $200.

These people are robbers--milking people of every penny they can. It's disgusting.

[Sgent]

11. IN NOLA

which is a much lower cost of living than SF, valet parking is $28/day at the airport.

I take cabs now -- its cheaper to pay for a $20 each way than the parking.