As a former west-sider, I know the benefits of living on that side of town--better schools (Memorial and West), homes that aren't run-down or 100 years old, better layout (e.g. not dependent on one street--East Washington--to go anywhere), and the list goes on.
Now as another slap in the face to the east side, Hy-Vee grocery store will open in 2010 at Westgate Mall, right across the street from Copps. Not too far away, Sentry is across from another Copps, and Woodman's is a block away from Sam's and Wal-Mart.
Meanwhile, on the east side, there are just a handful of grocery stores. If you're not shopping at Woodman's East, then where the hell are you shopping? (Hy-Vee wants to open a second location in the former K-Mart, but another grocery store proposal failed a few years back.)
Basically, I find it amusing that another grocery story is coming to the west side. A better use of that space: Crate and Barrel, Champp's, Dave and Buster's, etc.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Early sign of spring?
It was nice to have a mid-50s day today. But the biggest indication of spring? Seeing a food cart on the Capitol Square.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Don't raise parking rates
An article in the Wisconsin State Journal today reported the city's Parking Utility is proposing increases in fees of all meters and parking ramps. Our rates are already high enough. This is Madison, Wis., a city of 200,000, not Chicago or even Milwaukee.
The PU wants to raise meters from $1.25/hr to $1.50/hr, and ramps such as Government East (next to the Great Dane) from $1.10/hr to $1.40/hr. If the City Parking and Transit Commission is wise, they will vote this down.
Downtown businesses are hurting, and raising fares will drive away potential customers. Doesn't the city already make enough money on the myriad of parking tickets they hand out? Those parking enforcers often wait on expiring meters (jackasses).
Perhaps if we had a better public transit system, such as light rail from Middleton to the airport/Sun Prairie, we could swallow this increase. But in today's economy, this hurts.
The PU wants to raise meters from $1.25/hr to $1.50/hr, and ramps such as Government East (next to the Great Dane) from $1.10/hr to $1.40/hr. If the City Parking and Transit Commission is wise, they will vote this down.
Downtown businesses are hurting, and raising fares will drive away potential customers. Doesn't the city already make enough money on the myriad of parking tickets they hand out? Those parking enforcers often wait on expiring meters (jackasses).
Perhaps if we had a better public transit system, such as light rail from Middleton to the airport/Sun Prairie, we could swallow this increase. But in today's economy, this hurts.
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