Council parks proposal to pump up ticket prices in Allentown

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Allentown Parking Authority is looking for a much-needed revenue boost, but it won’t be getting help quite yet from the city.

Officials said this year the agency was staring down a significant budget hole — about $1.8 million — after moving away from 24/7 enforcement last year.

The parking authority announced plans to raise on-street parking rates and the price of permits for surface lots and decks. And it also plans to step up its enforcement of double-parking violations to cut into its deficit.

But agency officials have made it clear they will need the city’s help to stave off serious funding issues.

Jon Haney, on his first day as interim executive director, explained his agency’s need for support Wednesday at a City Council meeting.

Allentown Parking Authority had a $3.2 million contingency fund in 2023, Haney told council.

“Today, that’s about $600,000,” he said, and asked council to approve the parking-ticket increases “sooner” than later.

With very little money in reserve, the parking authority could’ve been bankrupted by an earthquake that hit the Lehigh Valley in early April, he said.

“Fortunately, it was very, very shallow,” he said. “It wasn't a tremendous impact.”

“But large, concrete, rigid structures like parking decks don't tend to react well to earthquakes,” Haney said. “Had we had experienced damage, we wouldn't have had the reserves in the bank to take care of that.”

Study ready but not read

The parking authority has only three revenue streams — parking decks and lots, on-street meters and tickets — Haney told council members.

The agency has done what it can to raise parking rates, but fines can only be increased by the city’s legislative body, he said.

But council was not ready Wednesday night to provide that support.

Council members voted 4-3 to table a bill proposing to increase fines for more than two dozen parking-related citations.

Council President Cynthia Mota joined members Ce-Ce Gerlach, Ed Zucal and Natalie Santos to postpone Wednesday’s planned vote.

They said they want to review the results of a study about the parking authority — and the feasibility of the city taking it over — before voting to increase any tickets.

Allentown created the parking authority about 40 years ago, and it operates independently without direct oversight by the city.

The study was approved in March 2023 and recently completed but not shared with council members prior to Wednesday’s planned vote.

Allentown Communications Manager Genesis Ortega said she planned to send those results to council “as early as” Thursday, an offer that irked some members.

“If there was a completed report done, we should have gotten it before tomorrow,” Zucal said Wednesday night.

Other options?

Haney said his agency could be forced to explore other ways to ensure its financial security without immediate help from the city.

The parking authority’s board could look to reinstate some overnight enforcement patrols for violations that affect residents’ quality of life and safety,

The agency is essentially treading water trying to make ends meet as it waits for council to raise ticket prices, he said.

Haney took over Wednesday as the parking authority's interim executive director from former chief John Morgan.

Morgan left his post Tuesday after he and the agency "mutually agreed" to part ways.

Councilman and APA board member Santo Napoli and board Chairman Ted Zeller said they are looking for a new leader who can change the narrative around the agency.

Board members want someone who is more skilled at customer service and “collaborating with the community,” rather than another operational expert like Morgan, Napoli said.

After a long first day in the top job, Haney told LehighValleyNews.com he hopes to seize his opportunity to show he can lead the agency permanently.