Parking policy didn’t show city in best light

The message was loud and clear. It was delivered by the parking tickets fluttering in the breeze and adorning the cars with out-of-state license plates. The cars were lined up on Broad Street; my bet is that they were here as part of the magnificent Head of the Hooch regatta. That’s where we were headed when we saw them. They were just some of the fine folks visiting our city over the weekend, pumping millions of dollars into our economy.

Couldn’t we have welcomed them by establishing a free parking Saturday? The nice lady writing the tickets could have worked that day as a “parking ambassador,” keeping parking orderly, or the money from the meters was so desperately needed, she could have helped folks understand and navigate the pay process. But, no, that’s not the message we delivered. Instead, we simply said “Welcome to Chattanooga; up yours!” Rob Piper Flintstone, Ga.