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Parking Lots Might Finally Have To Start Taking Credit Cards
This lot is probably empty because no one was carrying cash (Photo by j.r.mchale via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)
If you've ever had to keep circling the block because all the lots you're finding are cash-only and you forgot to hit the ATM, you're in luck. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced today that all privately owned lots in L.A. could soon be required to accept cards as payment. The plan was announced today at a press conference to address L.A.'s deteriorated streets, Streetsblog reports. Currently, private lots are required to pay 10 percent of their income back to the City. However, since many are cash-only, it's hard to keep track of how much the lots are making. By mandating that lots accept credit and debit cards, it isn't only easier for the modern consumer, but provides a more accurate means of tracking lot revenue. The City is estimated to reap an additional $20 to 25 million from this change. This money would, in turn, go towards fixing Los Angeles streets.
This plan isn't the only proposal for raising street fixing money. It's part of a larger group being referred to as a 'Street Smart' Package, with the ultimate goal having the ability to pave an extra 200 miles annually. That would amount of 400 miles of freshly paved streets each year.
According to a release from the Mayor's office, other ideas include updating City asphalt plants so that Los Angeles does not have to buy asphalt elsewhere, improving communication and efficiency between involved city departments, and banning any newly resurfaced streets from being cut into for one to three years. They will also be looking at an old formula from 1996 used to charge utilities and other groups that cut into streets. The old formula doesn't necessarily give the City a 100 percent reimbursement for these repairs.
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