South Carolina Capital Watch: Parking Nazis Go Nuts

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Leaders of South Carolina’s results-challenged capital city are imposing a flood of new parking fees and fines on their citizens – and on visitors to the city – in the hopes of collecting millions of dollars in new revenue over the coming five years.

According to plans unveiled this week by the city of Columbia, S.C., parking rates within the city will double – and, in some cases, quadruple – under the terms of a proposed ordinance which received initial approval on Tuesday (November 19, 2024).

Per the ordinance (.pdf), hourly, daily, weekly and monthly parking rates are all going to rise dramatically for street-level parking – while parking rates at city garages are also set to climb.

Here are a just few of the proposed changes…

• Hourly street-level rates rise from $0.75 to $1.50
• Daily street-level rates rise from $10 to $25
• Weekly street-level rates rise from $50 to $100
• Monthly street-level rates rates from $100 to $400
• Enforcement will extend from Monday through Saturday
• Enforcement will extend from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET

Each of the city’s surface lots and parking decks will see rates spike, as well. Meanwhile, residential parking permits will soar from $5.00 to $60 per vehicle, while a one-month owner-occupant visitor permit will go from $1.00 to $48.00.

Those who fail to pay the piper up front will see the cost of citations skyrocket, too.

According to the new ordinance, the cost for an overtime parking ticket will more than triple from $8.00 to $25.00 – while improper parking citations will climb from $7.00 to $25.00. The city is also jacking its fire lane citation from $20.00 to $500.00.

What’s driving these changes? Money, obviously. Specifically, greedy politicians keen on putting more of your hard-earned cash into government coffers. City officials estimate they will rake in $17 million over the next five years (or $3.4 million a year) should the ordinance pass.

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Second reading of the massive parking tax hike has been scheduled for the city’s next council meeting on Tuesday, December 3, 2024. If approved, the new tax, fee and fine hikes would take effect on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.

What do city leaders have to say for themselves?

“The City of Columbia is proposing increased parking rates in order to reinvest revenue into the parking system and enhance the customer experience,” a statement noted.

“Enhance the customer experience?” Really?

Sounds to me more like nickel-and-diming people who are already facing worsening financial pressures from literally every angle…

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THE ORDINANCE…

(City of Columbia)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children.

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