County Supervisors Wants to Raise Parking Prices
Increasing fees is expected to raise $1.4 million annually
Thursday, Jan 7, 2010 | Updated 2:57 PM PST
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The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted today to raise prices at its parking lots and animal shelters, but postponed a decision on price hikes at parks and beaches.
Increasing parking fees is expected to raise $1.4 million annually, while higher fees for spaying or neutering animals and other shelter services were expected to bring in an additional $500,000, county officials told the five-member board.
Most of the lots affected are downtown, where maximum daily rates were typically increased by $1. The new rates are set to take effect within 45 days.
The county also renegotiated its revenue split with parking contractors - - part of a larger plan to reduce contract costs.
Proposals to increase parking and use fees at county beaches and parks, including a new $20 swim lesson charge, were put off indefinitely.
The supervisors moved to raise fees as they prepared to come to grips with reduced state funding as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a budget.
Before the state budget was finalized, the county's chief executive officer estimated that county funding from the state would be $189.8 million less than in fiscal 2008-09. That figure, however, could change. County staffers were working this afternoon to gauge the effect of the state budget on county operations.
