SANTA CRUZ -- Get ready to pay up next time you're at the Santa Cruz wharf. The city is talking about raising rates to park there during the summertime.
On Tuesday, the Santa Cruz City Council will discuss raising parking rates.
"The impact on most patrons is maybe one or two dollars per patron so it's a pretty minor impact even if they stayed all day," said Mark Dettle, director of Public Works.
Dettle said if approved, people will have to pay $1 every 20 minutes, or $3 an hour for the first two hours.
That's compared to the $2 an hour for two hours people are paying now.
"The rates haven't been raised since 2003 and it's really just to keep up with general fund revenue," Dettle said.
That $60 million budget now is in a $3 million hole.
The new rates are expected to bring in $200,000 a year to the city.
"I think if they are costs the city incurs for maintaining the wharf that's fair," said Patrick Reilly. "If the fact is they just need more money then they should get it from the merchants here who are making money from visitors."
The city is also talking about raising speed limits on some city streets from 25 miles an hour to 30 miles an hour.
That will let police enforce the speed limit with radar guns.
Right now, they can't because using radar in a 25-mile an hour zone is considered a speed trap.
Here is where police are proposing to change the speed limit from 25 to 30 mph:
Bay between California and West Cliff Drive
Delaware from Swift to Woodrow
High Street from Bay to the city limits
Bay from Laurent to Story
Isbel Drive from Bartlett to Carbonero
Market from Avalon to Water
Morrissey from Pachecho to Prospect Heights
Natural Bridges from Mission to Delaware
Western Drive from Meder to Mission
