Congratulations, Chicago: Your City Now Has The Most Expensive Parking Meters In The U.S. ($6.50hr)

[Purveyor]

In a move that will earn it the dubious honor of being home to North America’s most expensive parking meters, Chicago’s downtown meters will start charging parkers $6.50 an hour starting on New Year’s Day, up from $5.75. It’s the highest rate for a downtown area and the fifth year the city’s parking meter rates have gone up. Umm, so, congratulations?

By the end of February Chicago Parking Meters LLC will have all machines set to new rates by the end of February, says CBS Chicago. Since that company took control of the city’s meters in 2008, rates have kept rising. It secured the lucrative contract under a 75-year lease championed by former Mayor Richard M. Daley.

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http://consumerist.com/2012/12/27/congratulations-chicago-your-city-now-has-the-most-expensive-parking-meters-in-the-u-s/

[Sekhmets Daughter]

1. Oops. n/t

[Angry Dragon]

2. I guess private corporations can do things for less

[JReed]

3. That's appalling

[Luminous Animal]

4. 75 year leases should be illegal.

[TroglodyteScholar]

5. This is shameful to be sure

I won't go by car into Chicago unless I'm staying a while. If I can make my destination by train and on foot, cool. Otherwise I'll skip it.

[pa28]

6. Who could have predicted that a privatized monopoly would result in price gouging? n/t

[Hassin Bin Sober]

7. It's no surprise because the increases were written in to the contract.

And Daley got himself a nice cushy consulting gig - with the law firm that negotiated and closed the deal.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

8. Monkey wrenches to the ready

I could also suggest gunfire, but there aren't any in Chicago.

[loyalkydem]

9. Oh yea don't go eat out and expect free refils on drinks

[City Lights]

10. Three cheers for privatization!

Way to go, Daley.