A coalition of mayors and community leaders from across San Diego County demanded the end of fees to park in Balboa Park on Monday.
“I’m here today to unveil a newly proposed ordinance written by my office to fully repeal paid parking in Balboa Park,” Shane Harris said to applause at a news conference in Balboa Park.
Harris describes himself as San Diego’s Public Advocate. It’s unfair to residents across San Diego county, he said.
“Paid parking didn’t happen because residents demanded it. It happened because City Hall created a massive budget deficit, and instead of owning that failure, they decided to pass the bill onto the families, seniors, students, workers and visitors,” Harris said.
Though Balboa Park is in the city limits of San Diego, Harris and others at the news conference said, it’s a regional asset.
For San Diego to decide that everyone must now pay to park here is unfair, he said. The sentiment was echoed by the mayor of San Diego County’s second largest city.
“Our residents in Chula Vista should not be treated as tourists or visitors in the next city,” said Chula Vista Mayor John McCann.
Charging for parking in Balboa Park hurts the folks who need the park the most, said El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells.
“There are people that come to Balboa Park and they bring their families because they have nowhere else to go that they can afford on a weekend,” Wells said.
Harris said he crafted an ordinance to repeal the parking fees and to enshrine free parking in the park in perpetuity.
None of the criticism appeared to move San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria.
“The proposal discussed today would dismantle the city’s progress in creating a direct funding stream for Balboa Park’s operations and improvements, returning the park to a cycle of unfunded promises and deferred maintenance. To date, nearly 2,000 San Diegans have purchased passes to support the park's public spaces. We understand this is a major change, but it is a necessary one," Gloria said in a statement.
If paid parking isn’t repealed, Harris said he may pursue a voter referendum to force its repeal.
