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# Q-Line asks readers whether higher Santa Monica parking rates are fair
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/031703-story/
- Published: 2003-03-17T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T01:49:48.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Downtown, #archive-import

To deal with faltering budgets, revenues must be increased while expenses have to be cut. It’s no different here in Santa Monica.

While the Santa Monica City Council continues to grapple with what else it needs to cut to close a growing $11 million deficit this year, it’s also looking for ways to make money.

Last week, the Council approved increasing parking rates for spots along the beach and downtown from 50-cents an hour to $1 an hour. Remaining meters will be raised from between 35-cents and 50-cents to 75-cents an hour in compliance with new parking zones designated by the city.

This week, Q-Line wants to know, “Do you think the increase is fair? Why or why not?”

Call (310) 285-8106 with your response before Thursday at 5 p.m. We’ll print them in Friday’s paper. Please limit your comments to a minute or less. It might help to think first about the wording of your response.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 17, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/031703.pdf?ref=smdp.com)