The Alpena Downtown Development Authority wants parking meters throughout the city?

They suggest parking meters that can be paid with a credit card? So-called “smart meters” can cost $5,000-plus each (internet find), there’s the cost of labor and materials to install each meter. Will they be solar-powered or require hard wiring, which will significantly increase the labor and materials costs?

Without mentioning it, they just love the prospect of collecting parking fines. Installing 1,000 smart parking meters would cost $5M without adding labor and material costs. Approximately 20 million hours of parking to pay the cost of the meters alone.

People don’t carry change and many are very careful with their credit cards. Do the math.

GEORGE PERRY,

Hubbard Lake