Alexandria City Council torpedoed City Manager Jim Parajon’s plan for paid metered parking on Sundays, but balanced a $726,000 shortfall by raising parking meter fees from $1.75 to $2.75 and parking ticket fines from $40 to $55.
Last week, City Council directed Parajon to consider a number of alternatives to his Sunday parking plan. After deliberation, a majority of members endorsed Option E at Tuesday night’s add/delete work session, as the final touches are being put on the city’s $977 million Fiscal Year 2027 Budget. The move will generate $1.1 million in funding — covering an approximately $726,000 shortfall from removing the Sunday parking fee proposal and adding about $329,000 to the city’s general fund.
Mayor Alyia Gaskins said that after the budget is adopted April 29, she would like to direct the $329,000 toward Alexandria City Public Schools or housing.
“I could probably get to [Option] E for the sake of being able to move forward the conversation,” Gaskins said at Tuesday’s meeting. “When we got to a different part of the process and had to direct the city manager, then I would be looking at housing or schools [for] that.”
City Councilman Canek Aguirre supported Option E along similar lines.
“I think that additional money can be put towards housing, potentially maybe a little bit to education,” Aguirre said.
Councilwoman Jacinta Greene said she wants the $329,000 directed toward affordable housing.
“I am good with E, with going up to $55 (for parking tickets),” Greene said. “I wouldn’t go any higher, and I would love to see, have the conversation, on where that additional money would go to.”
Final budget adoption is set for April 29.
