By Phil Riske, managing editor
I thank all you fellow gripers for following our weekly gripe column over the past four years. It’s time however, for . . . a name change.
In 1853, my old buddy Charles Dickens had a word for a place you like to retire when you’re in a bad mood — a growlery.
So, from here on out, this space will be called “From the Rose Law Group Reporter Growlery.”
The inaugural growlery deals with sticking it to downtown Phoenix visitors.
Depending on when and where you park, it will cost from 50 cents to $4 per hour later this year after city council members — strapped with a budget shortage of nearly $38 million — voted to increase meter rates. Meters are all $1.50 per hour at this time.
We’re with the residents who complain the new rates and hours will hurt the growing downtown business core.
City fathers hope higher parking rates will increase parking turnover. In other words, stay, but don’t stay long. Now, there’s an incentive to go downtown.
And as if parking for a Suns or Diamondbacks game weren’t already higher than a hit into Chase centerfield, the city parking rates near those sports venues will increase. That’ll go well with the $25 Diamondback Corn Dog.
