If you’ve driven to St. Armands Circle lately, you know the parking situation has changed. Sarasota’s parking division has stepped up enforcement and raised fees, saying the department must cover its own costs without taxpayer support. But business owners on the Circle are pushing back, arguing that the revenue shortfall isn’t their fault and that the city broke promises tied to the 2019 parking garage bond.
Merchants on the Circle pay a 20-year bond tax based on their square footage. One owner says that comes to $12,000 a year. Meanwhile, employee parking passes jumped from $30 for three months to $13 per month plus fees. Business owners, led by St. Armands Circle Association president Scott MacDonald of Crab & Fin, say the promised landscaping and garage upkeep never happened, and they’re being unfairly blamed for years of mismanagement.
A city open house on parking is scheduled, and MacDonald plans to voice these concerns directly. It’s a classic local conflict: cities need to balance budgets, but small businesses and their employees are feeling squeezed. Do you think parking garages should be self-funding, or should the city help cover the costs? Share your thoughts in the comments.
