GREEN BAY (NBC26) — Green Bay parking rates will increase by 25 cents per hour starting next year, marking the first rate hike since 2020 for the city's parking system.
Watch Green Bay neighborhood reporter Pari Apostolakos' broadcast story below:
Street spots, lots and garages will go from $1 per hour to $1.25 per hour beginning in January. Initial citations for overtime parking will also increase from $22 to $24 and rental spots will cost 3% more.
Green Bay Parking Manager Chris Pirlot said the rate increase is necessary to balance the parking department's budget.
"We need to generate about $250,000 to balance the budget," Pirlot said. "I would love to give parking away, but there's a cost to run a parking system."
The parking department operates without any tax funding, meaning all expenses (including employee salaries and garage maintenance) must be covered by parking revenue.
For daily downtown workers like Katelyn Bryfczynski, who works at a restaurant, the increase will be a significant added expense.
"I pay to park downtown about five days a week usually," Bryfczynski said.
She currently spends between $40 and $60 a week on parking for work.
"The 25 cent [increase], it's not going to seem like it's a lot to most people I feel like. But, to me, it's a lot, it's going to add up quickly, I guess," Bryfczynski said.
Occasional visitors will be less affected by the change. Nathan Guerra, an Oconomowoc native who visits downtown Green Bay about once a month, enjoys the Passport parking app for its convenience.
"I select my vehicle, and then tell it the time that I want and then push pay and I'm good to go," Guerra said.
The rate increase doesn't concern him as much.
"I probably won't even notice because it's a single time purchase for me," Guerra said. "I think it's those people who are coming down here every day. It's going to, you know, things rack up."
Pirlot said some parking spots might still display the old rate when the changes take effect in January, but all city parking spots will reflect the new $1.25 rate by February.
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