And we didn’t make up that terminology ‘left-wing hobbies’. That is what the Wakkerste Krant of the Netherlands has done. Which, by the way, is also based in Amsterdam.
It’s always entertaining when De Telegraaf stands up for the interests of the metropolitan motorist. Then you know that terms such as ‘left-wing hobbies’ will be thrown around and that the current College will get a big blow out. So also this time.
The newspaper makes a big splash with an article stating that the parking millions that Amsterdam collects annually no longer benefit the infrastructure in the city. And then it doesn’t matter what wording you write it in, it’s -once again- a big middle finger for the motorist in Amsterdam.
Amsterdam parking fee to ‘left-wing hobbies’
Today there was a debate in the capital about the use of parking fees. As you may know, this is a considerable source of income for Femke Halsema and her friends (M/V/X/§), because an hour of parking in the center easily costs 7.50.
Until recently, the benefits went directly back to the people who generated them; namely the road users. The many euros ended up in the Municipal Mobility Fund (the SMF). And the name says it all, that fund was there to maintain mobility in the city. But the SMF no longer exists.
Reason enough for parties such as JA21 and the – by Amsterdam standards far right-wing VVD – to go wild about this in the debate with the Executive Board. Whose deed.
‘Money to gender neutral toilets?’
Those parties fear that the parking money released in Amsterdam will now go to – in their eyes – left-wing hobbies. Someone from JA21 summarized his concerns as follows:
That gender-neutral toilets are more important than building a road to a residential area. I find that very worrying.”
JA21, always pragmatic and never blunt
According to the more left-wing parties, that is nonsense. They say that the parking fee will benefit the general reserves and general investments in the city. So if a new layer of asphalt has to be laid in Amsterdam, it can be done there.
Anyway, VVD and JA21 are obviously not satisfied with that. They submit a motion in which they ask for a framework in which it remains clear whether parking revenues still go to infrastructure projects.
And we’ll see soon if it stays that way. But don’t assume.
And that’s good news for everyone who would like to see more rainbow benches in Amsterdam Nieuw-West or Southeast…
This article Parking money Amsterdam is used for ‘left-wing hobbies’ appeared first on Autoblog.nl.
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