Parking meters are a tax

I am a local who has been visiting and shopping downtown since 1990. The current parking dilemma has arisen because of the past political marriage between downtown business and local politicians. In an effort to promote growth and accumulate revenue, Healdsburg has incorporated the in-lieu parking fee concept, which although is good for developers, it has failed the local property owning taxpayer.
The idea was to use those funds and redevelopment funds to satisfy future growth with adequate parking. If it was successful, why is there a parking problem? The city over the years has failed to focus on the parking issue and once again, they’re looking for money and further quality of life considerations from the local property owning taxpayers in the form of taxes and fees.
The proposed parking meter installation downtown will not solve the downtown parking dilemma. Any payment to a meter including by a technical device such as a smartphone is an additional tax on the resident property owner and taxpayer. The proposed electronic photographing of license plates will be captured as a public record allowing auto insurers to know where the car is as well subject to data mining marketing companies.
Are locals causing the parking problem? Why should locals be subjected to additional fees (taxes) when they are already burdened with having to search for a downtown parking spot and have endured downtown growth while other parts of the city have been stuck with seemingly endless long-term deferred maintenance?
The main residential intersection at Healdsburg Ave. and Dry Creek Rd. has been in horrible condition for many, many years. Why should locals continue to bow down to business owners, many who are non-resident and not property owners, to advance their sales and revenues? What benefits do locals get from downtown business owners? Why should upwards of 95 percent of tax paying property owners keep supporting downtown businesses through additional fees and taxes with no positive benefits? We get traffic congestion, overpriced products and the depressing reality of a slowly eroding quality of life. Why aren’t property owners and taxpayers considered “special interest” as we pay north of 95 percent of taxes? Let the elected officials and downtown business interests solve this problem without further negatively impacting Locals.
Here’s are some suggestions: No more in-lieu parking deals. Have every downtown business owner be responsible for off the square parking for themselves and employees by selling annual $25 parking passes for the Grove St. and Vine St. areas, for example. Passes must be on corner of dashboard with date, signature, and place of business that matches a pass data book. First fine $25, second is $100.
Instead of making some locals angry why not during the trial period make them feel special and deserving? On every street within the downtown zone (the two blocks south, west and north from the square) are local designated spots at the beginning of each street. One for 30 minutes, one for two hours. The curbs shall be painted a light grey with one curb “Local 30 minutes $200 fine” in white lettering and the second “Local 120 minutes $200 fine.”
Free of charge and delivered by mail to every property owner with registered vehicles in Healdsburg will receive two high quality durable stickers that will have the license plate number. The sticker will be located to the left and center of license plate for easy enforcement. For example, on the inside curbs of the town square there would eight spaces next to and cross  corner to each other. Doing this on the square and surrounding blocks should create an adequate amount of free revolving spaces just for locals which could encourage them to visit and shop at downtown businesses.
No parking meters, no more parking personnel, no intrusive technology, no more taxes!
Kevin J. McCann is a Healdsburg resident