Cincinnati Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld rallying small businesses that oppose city parking plan

CINCINNATI - Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld is asking Cincinnati’s small businesses to sign a petition that opposes the city’s proposal to outsource its parking system for the next 30 years.

City Manager Milton Dohoney last year proposed leasing the city's parking meters, lots, and garages for the next 30 years with an upfront payment of no less than $40 million in order to generate money to help balance the city’s budget. The city has already received at least two bids that would pay more than $100 million to the city in a one-time lump sum.

But Sittenfeld believes the plan is bad for the city and bad for business, and he’s looking for business owners who feel the same way.

“Individual citizens have made clear that they are overwhelmingly against outsourcing our parking system,” he said in a news release. “Now we are going to show that small businesses feel the same way.”

Sittenfeld said he hopes that if he can show city council that small businesses oppose the plan, “we can then nix the proposal immediately.”

Already 15 businesses have signed the petition, including the Righteous Room downtown, The Lackman in Over-the-Rhine, Habits Café and 20th Century Theater in Oakley, and Shake It Records in Northside, according to Sittenfeld’s office.

Anyone who owns, works for or knows of a small business that will lend its name to the petition should contact Sittenfeld’s office at pg.sittenfeld@cincinnati-oh.gov .