In Lewes, why not consider parking passes?

As Lewes officials prepare to adopt next year's budget, it has become clear parking fees at the Lewes Beach parking lot may rise as the city tries to make up a $150,000 revenue shortfall.

By raising rates from $1.50 an hour to $2 an hour, the city expects to increase revenues by $90,000, a major step toward closing the gap.

City officials are also debating a smaller increase on downtown meter rates, from $1 to $1.25, which would generate an additional $40,000 and nearly erase the shortfall – although any change in downtown parking fees may draw opposition from city businesses.

In discussing the budget, Mayor Ted Becker told the council that whatever decision is made this year, city officials will have to take a serious look at finding new sources of revenue, starting soon after the new budget year begins April 1.

One choice would be a modest increase in property taxes, which have not been raised since 2011. Another choice city officials have long overlooked is a system of parking passes on Lewes beach, similar to passes that provide a revenue stream in both Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach.

Increasing fees at the public lots to $2 an hour is likely to prompt at least a few people to head down Cedar Avenue and its side streets in search of a free spot.

It might be a logical time to begin issuing parking passes so visitors who park on Cedar would also contribute a small share toward using the beach.

Rehoboth issues free parking stickers for cars registered to city property owners, plus each household also receives two free, transferable passes, which means many visitors to Rehoboth don't pay for street parking. Even with all those free passes, sales of parking passes for visitors to Rehoboth continue to produce a revenue stream.

Parking passes would not solve Lewes' future budget problems, but a study of costs and likely benefits would be a good place to begin the discussion.