Chicago Parking Meter Robbery Starts Today

This is what Chicagoans are gonna have to tolerate now when they drive their cars into the city here when they park their cars in King Daley's Kingdom starting today: 14 quarters an hour
If he's trying to drive citizens out of the city or prevent them from driving into it, this just might do the trick alright. Visitors sure will be shocked when they encounter this for the first time . My Kind of Town, not as much anymore as a big portion of it is third world and where it's not it's too expensive ......

Parking meter rates going up Friday in the Loop :

: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Transportation: "One quarter weighs 0.2 of an ounce, which isn't much -- you barely feel it.

But 28 quarters weigh as much as a billiard ball -- liable to rip a hole in your pocket.

And 28 quarters are what it's going to take, starting today, to park for two hours at a Loop parking meter under the city's new privatization agreement.

Meter costs in the Loop will increase today to $3.50 an hour from $3.

'I think it's outrageous,' said Paul Solitro, 50, of Rogers Park, feeding a meter on Wabash at Madison. 'Between the Skyway and the parking garages and all the meters, as soon as it goes into private hands, everything quadruples.'

The city is getting $1.15 billion to outsource management of its 36,000 meters over the next 75 years to Chicago Parking Meters LLC.

Paul A. Volpe, Mayor Daley's chief of staff, said the deal helps balance the city's budget, creates a 'rainy day' fund to help Chicago work through the recession and protects property-tax payers from an increase."

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