The new parking fees at Balboa Park are perhaps the least impactful of new costs San Diegans are being asked to pay. Unlike some of the others, they’re optional. You don’t have to go to the park, of course, or could take (less expensive) public transportation, cumbersome though that may be. Also , out-of-towners pay more. Understandably, none of that is likely to mollify those outraged by having to pay to park at the park, a destination that people for generations have largely arrived at by car. The clumsy, confusing rollout of the fees certainly didn’t help — as many residents who were promised a locals discount couldn’t figure out how to tap that benefit. The parking fees pale in comparison to the new first-time trash pickup fee on single-family homes and skyrocketing water and utility costs. Then there’s a whole variety of new or increased fees for things such as using recreational centers, obtaining fishing permits and parking downtown, all of which are aimed at helping close the city’s perennial budget shortfalls. More levies are in the works. But like San Diego beaches — where parking fees have also been discussed — the city’s “crown jewel” holds something of a sacred spot in the public consciousness. They are places that pridefully define the region where people of all economic means could enjoy beautiful and relaxing environs for free. Leaders of museums and other park organizations say there’s already been a huge drop in park visits since the fees too effect Jan. 5, according to David Garrick of The San Diego Union-Tribune. A spokesperson for Mayor Todd Gloria said that a longer-term look is need to assess the fee impact on attendance. Combine that simple notion with the string of recent new and increased fees at a time when people are feeling financially pressed and it’s no wonder the Balboa Park fees, at least for now, may feel like a tipping point. It’s hard to say whether this ultimately will be a watershed moment when city residents say “enough.” It felt like that when the trash fees kicked in not long ago. That anger among homeowners may have gone from a boil to simmer, but there are still discussions of a ballot measure to repeal the trash fee. Implementation of that fee also had an awful rollout, something that threatens to become a signature of Mayor Todd Gloria’s administration. Voters had narrowly cleared the way for such a fee in 2022, but were told it would be far less than what ultimately was approved by the City Council, even if members did pare back some of the recommended increases. Still, San Diego was one of the few cities that didn’t charge to pick up trash, and there had been talk about changing that for years. The backlash on the park parking fees was swift, loud and widespread. The outcry has a populist feel to it. A San Diego Union-Tribune/10News poll conducted by SurveyUSA published Friday suggests the public does not approve of the fees and wants parking to be free. Councilmembers Sean Elo-Rivera and Kent Lee, who initially backed the fees, urged Gloria to pause them until the kinks are worked out of the system. Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, whose district includes Balboa Park, voted against the fees to begin with and called for a full repeal after they were implemented. The mayor rejected backtracking, testily suggesting the moves were political and that the council shared responsibility for the balky rollout of the fees. He said the city must stay the course while pledging to improve the process. Meanwhile, the city has put off issuing citations for parking violations. Shane Harris, who describes himself as a public advocate, has also called for repeal of the parking fees. Last week, he led a news conference with mayors and council members from cities around the county who oppose the paid parking program. Some of them said, among other things, that the park is a regional asset and, if anything, their constituents should be charged as residents, not tourists. However, property taxes from San Diego city residents go to the municipal budget that pays for park maintenance; not so for people who live in other parts of the county. San Diego is not alone among big cities in hunting for revenue through taxes and fees, including for parking at other iconic parks like Golden Gate Park in San Francisco and Central Park in New York City. There’s no question San Diego officials for decades weren’t always forthright about providing services without the means to fully pay for them. People may tire of hearing they’re paying for the failure of previous City Hall leaders to balance spending and revenue. It can sound like a never-ending blame game. Yet Gloria isn’t the only mayor to talk about fixing the “structural imbalance” and not doing it. It’s probably not a popular view, but the mayor and the council deserve credit for at least trying to do something about that reality. But they are justifiably questioned about whether they’re focusing too much on the raising-revenue side and not enough on the spending side, despite reductions in the last budget. Even among elected officials, there’s dispute over the growth in staff at City Hall and where it has occurred, particularly in middle management. Council members have insisted Gloria reduce those positions, but he has not done so to their satisfaction. Then there’s the ongoing dispute over raises for city employees. They face increased costs of living like everyone else, but there’s legitimate discussion about the size of pay increases, which have a two-fold impact. There’s the direct cost of the raises, but also the related growth of the city’s pension shortfall, which increasingly eats further into the budget, as reported by the U-T’s Garrick. Much of that can’t be undone, but even if it could — whether or not that would be the best thing for the city — it doesn’t seem San Diego could cut its way out of its budget problems without negative impacts on services residents have come to expect. Regardless of whether anything comes of moves to overturn trash collection fees, Balboa Park parking fees or other new charges, there’s a variety of future tax and fee increases currently under consideration. In his State of the City address last week, Gloria offered a near-future view of fewer big ambitions and a focus on managing through current difficult times. It would help build public confidence — and perhaps more openness to tax increases — if, operationally, things were going more smoothly at City Hall. Nobody likes to pay more, especially for things they believed they were getting for free. Nevertheless, an honest discussion of the true costs facing the city and how to address them will be welcome. ...read more read less