10/12/2005
New York City Ends Pay-to-PrayThe New York City Council voted to restore free parking on Sundays.
The New York City Council voted 42-2 yesterday to restore free metered parking on Sundays, overriding a veto of the measure by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. The city administration had expected to collect $12 million a year from those parking in the city on Sunday -- including those attending church services. Meters would have raised $7 million while parking tickets would have accounted for $5 million.
The city maintains 77,200 metered parking spots all of which will be free beginning November 13 -- one week after the election. Bloomberg's challenger had made church parking an election issue.
Article Excerpt:"If you're working six days a week, struggling to park your car, struggling to get to work, even the Bible says on the seventh day you rest," said the Rev. Adolph Roberts of the Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Harlem. "We need one day of rest," he said.