What's up with downtown SLO parking? 

I'm not sure who the person was that decided to go back to paying for parking in downtown San Luis Obispo, but way to go! Your Parking Services Office did not give out any September parking passes but you still decided to go "back to normal" with 10-hour parking meters. Hmm, did this person even think about what would happen to those of us who actually purchase passes on a regular basis?

1. We now have to find non-metered parking blocks away from our work locations. Yes, I know, there is free parking at the parking structure on Palm Street. Awesome, for those who don't have medical issues that make it very difficult to walk several blocks to get where they need to go.

2. We are in the middle of a national coin shortage. Do you think that your local bank will give you 10 rolls of quarters to drop in the meters that will cost you approximately $9 per day? Not to mention that you have to make an appointment to go into the bank to get the much-needed coins.

3. Speaking of $9 per day, this is the reason we need passes. It's now going to cost me $153 to pay for parking for the rest of the month when I could've purchased a September parking pass for $60.

4. Why didn't the Parking Services Office create an in-house pass for September? It would've been super simple and hardly cost you anything to produce. This could've really helped a lot of people.

As I drive down Higuera, I see three cars that have paid for metered parking. If the city is in need of money, don't you think it would've made more sense to create that temporary pass?

Not to be ungrateful, I do thank you for offering the free parking these past several months. It has helped a ton of us to save money during this trying time. But now, seriously?

Stacey King

San Luis Obispo