Letters: Are more parking fines next? Columbus driving business away with parking kiosks

Kiosks confusion bad for Short North

How strange to see Columbus city administration work in opposition to the best interests of the Short North Alliance, Experience Columbus, and the Columbus Chamber of Commerce.

Visitors to Columbus know how to use parking meters.

In its wisdom (?), the city has removed parking meters from the Short North and replaced them with obscure signage and widely spaced kiosks.

“Payment Required” signs are small and high up on poles.

The signs do not point to the payment kiosks, useful information indeed.

More: Time has expired for Columbus parking meters: Rest to be replaced with kiosks this spring

I’ve observed people parking and walking away, obviously assuming that there was no fee. This would be natural for visitors from small towns, where there is often free downtown parking.

Ticketing will soon follow.

Why was this done?

My guess is that by replacing meters, which require maintenance and collection staff, with computers and a few techies, the city saves funds. No doubt that is true.

More: Ditching parking meters just a cash grab. Columbus leaving people on curb. |Opinion

What is also abundantly true is that the city has made the Short North far less friendly, far more likely to confuse and anger visitors, and far more likely to discourage repeat customers.

What a shame, all for the sake of a few dollars.

Edward Krauss, Grandview Heights

What about  Mapfre?

Once again, the dynamic duo of Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and Council President Shannon Hardin show that they are great at making promises, but fall far short of keeping them.

More: Columbus moving sports park plan promised in Crew stadium deal from Mapfre Stadium site

The latest example is the announcement that the sports park they promised at the historic Crew Stadium site will now be built 6 miles farther north and nowhere near Linden and the neighborhood they said would benefit from the park. (July 16, "Ginther's promised sports park at Mapfre to move to new site.")

More: Ginther wants to begin $4M design work on new Columbus sports park without land lease

They can try to blame the Ohio Expo Commission and Mike DeWine, but they have no one to blame but themselves for their lack of due diligence.

More: Theodore Decker: The Columbus Crew got its new stadium. The public got misled

Four years later, and the Crew has its nice shiny new stadium built on the city's dime and the children will be adults before the sports park is ready for use.

When it is built, it will be easy for Westerville residents to use the park — thank you very much.

When will people learn that all Ginther and Hardin really care about are the moneyed interests in Columbus?

Raymond D'Angelo, Westerville

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'Big Jim' Karnes deserving of honor

I am very pleased that the community of Columbus has chosen to forever memorialize our former sheriff, Jim Karnes, by placing his name on a building that will house those that have allegedly violated the rights of others. (July 14, "Jail dedicated in honor of longest-serving sheriff.")

Jim lived the motto of his profession by “protecting and serving” the citizens of Columbus.

More: Franklin County's new jail has former Sheriff 'Big Jim' Karnes as inspiration

In addition to enforcing the laws and keeping Columbus safe for others, Jim could be seen every December selling papers for the Charity Newsies.

You knew Jim cared for those children less fortunate. Through his efforts, he made it possible that “no child would be deprived an education because of inadequate clothing.”

He was very successful in selling these papers. Who wouldn’t stop when you saw the gentle giant and sheriff of Franklin County?

Bart Mahoney, Past President of the Charity Newsies, N. Myrtle Beach, SC

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Letters: What are Ginther and Hardin doing about sports park at Mapfre