Parking Employees Receive a Guarantee

In announcing that not one, but two, law firms will help guide the City is leasing its garages, lots, and meters in order to find a bundle of money for its ailing pensions, the new chair of the Parking Authority board stated "authority employees…would not lose their jobs due to the lease deal."

That likely means the Authority-with administrative employees as well as those that staff garages and lots-will likely be part of the City government landscape for years to come. That’s surprising in that the Mayor wanted the Authority’s $108 million debt to be erased as part of the lease deal. With no debt to retire and no garages to manage and staff, why keep the Authority around?

Perhaps the chair meant that employees-at least the administrative ones-will become part of the City’s organizational chart to oversee compliance with the lease. Or maybe he meant that the successful lessee will have to hire garage and lot employees to take care of maintenance. Of course pay and benefit levels will be sacrosanct.

What’s the next assurance-that rates won’t go too high or that rate increases cannot happen too close to one another?