My wish for the city this year is a beginning for "shock and awe" enforcement of anti-litter and dumping laws.

I want to see people scared within an inch of their lives to litter in Philadelphia. I also want to see heavy enforcement of a law that requires every property owner to maintain a clean sidewalk around their property.

I also wish the city would alter the law so that they have to contribute to part of the cost of repaving sidewalks and curbs, and retaining walls. Nutter was working toward the retaining wall help, but that never went anywhere as the search for being mayor started.

But really, most people just don't have the money to get their sidewalks and curbs redone, on top of the steps on the front of their house.

Anytime a street is repaved or rebuilt, curbs should have to be rebuilt (if the need is there) by the city, too. Sometimes this happens, but usually, no.

THANK YOU!!! It seems to be so ingrained amongst some people that they don't even know they're doing it. A cigarette butt is one thing, but I see so many people walking down the street beligerantly throwing entire bags of fast food on the sidewalk, just the other day I saw a guy tearing up his mail and dramatically hurling the shreds over his shoulder, I've even seen police officers throw trash down on the ground themselves. It doesn't just add to the amount of filth on our streets, but it demonstrates a disgusting lack of respect people have for our own city. Littering is already illegal and it's been so plenty long enough for people to get used to. All it would take is a handfull of tickets to be written and the word to spread that it's being cracked down on to get people to stop.

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The idealistic are no longer concerned with influencing public opinion and creating a free world of responsible and ethical social choices, but rather imposing opinion through legislation, mandating these ethics, and outlawing choice in what the loudest sample finds offensive.

Ban the Bans. It's a slippery slope between Idealism and Fascism.

Uhm, the thing is, that lots & decks in NYC (manhattan) are actually commonly quite cheaper than in Philly, and it's actually not too hard to find on street parking fairly near one's destination in many places.

In Philadelphia (center city, west/university city, no. liberties, etc.) sometimes you have to drive around for an hour to find any on street parking. In addition, we're inundated with all sorts of crazy parking restrictions, changing rules, etc. Huge swaths of entire areas cater to private valet parking businesses, some areas inexplicably have restrictions that change at inconvenient times, or terribly short parking times. No parking between 4:30 and 6:00? Oh well that 2 hour meeting starting at 3 is out. One hour parking? So much for getting a nice meal, or spending any significant time shopping.

This is not to mention NY's ridiculously extensive public transit system, that is also cheaper than ours. This is not from a Suburbanite. This is from a city dweller, the thing is, for me to get downtown to anything from where I live, I either have to take an hour or so long public transit commute, or drive. It was/is worse from where I grew up, also within city limits.

I had to re-read that a couple time, just to make sure I read it right. You're either kidding or haven't actually been to NYC, because neither of those statements is anywhere close to reality. Parking is insanely expensive in NYC, and if you're looking for street parking in Manhattan, well good luck. Manhattan has plenty of things going for it, cheap and abundant parking is definitely not one of them.

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"What's up Pops!" - Lebron James to Bush 41.

Uh, no, I'm not kidding in the least. For a while I was able to find all-day parking for $10 within 2 blocks of the javits center (those lots have since changed hands and gone up in price a bit.) Last year I went to a special private event at the ed sullivan theater and was able to find a nearby lot under $20. For a while there, I was going to places on the west side where I could find free, legal and quite available on-street parking in numerous locations. Last time I was in Manhattan in my car I drove around to a number of different locations before I came back and was able to find a number of different spots near places I needed to get to, a bit north in the city, once again all free, legal and readily available.

And I don't have to drive around for an hour looking for any of this stuff.

If this is actually the case, then the solution isn't in more parking lots and garages, it's in streamlining the parking authority so that it works as efficiently as possible for everyone parking.

And on that topic I'll completely agree with you. I don't drive but I've had experiences with the Parking Authority. It isn't the Parking Authority's position to make as much money as possible, yet from my experience it's how they operate. Like you point out, street parking regulations don't efficiently accommodate the largest number of drivers a day, but rather are designed specifically to ticket the highest number of driver a day.

__________________
The idealistic are no longer concerned with influencing public opinion and creating a free world of responsible and ethical social choices, but rather imposing opinion through legislation, mandating these ethics, and outlawing choice in what the loudest sample finds offensive.

Ban the Bans. It's a slippery slope between Idealism and Fascism.

Respectlfully disagree - parking regulations are written to make traffic flow more efficient, not to collect more money from tickets.
Those 4:30-6pm restrictions are to keep the streets clear during afternoon rush hour. 2-hour zones keep parking spots turning over so that more people have a chance to get in.

The PPA doesn't write the regulations, they just enforce them.


Also, we can usually find on-street parking on the Lower East Side quicker and easier than when used to live in Old City.

Perhaps that's true during rush-hour and the work week, but what about the one hour spots that stay in effect until mid-night everyday but Sunday? The PPA might not be writing the regulations to make money, but somebody is.

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The idealistic are no longer concerned with influencing public opinion and creating a free world of responsible and ethical social choices, but rather imposing opinion through legislation, mandating these ethics, and outlawing choice in what the loudest sample finds offensive.

Ban the Bans. It's a slippery slope between Idealism and Fascism.

Those spots are generally in business strips and designed to keep traffic/spots moving there as well, rather than have employees keep all of the spots for themselves, or some such, and have a healthy turnover of business. It keeps people moving, as it is intended to do.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xCiKCxfYqE

"If we can't learn from our mistakes, what's the point of making them!" ...my friend Richard.

"You are protected by the enormity of your stupidity." Mother to son Victor, in "Notorious"