Williamsburg parking goes digital Monday
Good morning! We have a primer on how the new city parking system works, and an interview with Mark Downey, candidate for the 69th seat in the house of delegates.
Williamsburg moves to its new digital parking system Monday, allowing city residents to use a website to register for parking in their neighborhood or in the city parking garage.
Once the system fully kicks in Sept. 1, staff told city council yesterday, residents will have to create an account online and use a new website to register their cars to park on restricted streets, obtain guest passes for visitors, and pay for unlimited in and out privileges in the city garage.
City manager Andrew Trivette said anyone who is confused about using the system can come to city offices or call to be walked through the process.
“It’ll be a journey of 1,00 steps,” he told Thursday’s city council meeting.
Here’s a quick primer for city residents:
1. Expect a notice in the mail either Monday or Tuesday explaining how to register for an account.
2. You will create an account online, register your car license plates and obtain your parking permits. The fee remains $5.
3. You can also register two guest license plates for visitors. Those passes expire in 7 days but can be renewed.
4. The current system of prepaying an amount to park in the city garage, which is debited as you use it, will change. City residents will now pay $10 a month for unlimited in and out privileges.
The eventual goal is to allow city residents to get discounted rates at other area parking lots operated by Colonial Williamsburg, staff told council.
Trivette told council members there will be grace period for people who don’t use the system properly, but he declined to specify how long that would be, saying it would depend on the case.
The parking enforcers euphemistically called “parking ambassadors” will patrol the streets using software that identifies license plates not registered to park at a specific address, allowing them to issue traffic citations, Chief Information Officer Mark Barham said.
Along with the new system comes a significant increase in the cost of parking fines:
· From $10 to $25 for a first offense
· From $25 to $50 for a second offense
· From $50 to $75 for a third offense.
If fines are not paid within 14 days, they will then double to $50 for a first offense and $100 for a second offense and $150 for a third offense. The fifth or subsequent offense fine would increase after 14 days from $500 to $600.
Parking fines have not increased since 2011.
Medicaid, abortion rights, healthcare top campaign issues for Mark Downey
Williamsburg pediatrician Dr. Mark Downey is hoping the third time will be the charm in his quest for a seat to the Virginia house of delegates.
Downey, a Democrat, is running against incumbent Republican Chad Green for the 69th house of delegates seat, which covers most of York County and parts of James City and Gloucester counties and Newport News.
His campaign hits most of the Democratic hot buttons, including support for ending the right to work law that prohibits mandatory union membership, controlling charter schools, and recognizing teachers’ unions
He and other Democrats running in November say they can ease the impact of the Trump Administration’s more controversial decisions, including appointing vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health and human services secretary, and modifying Medicaid. Republicans say the Medicaid changes target able bodied men who can work and illegal aliens, but critics say it would leave 1 million Virginians without health care.
In an interview last month, Downey said his experience as a doctor will bring fact-based decision making to such issues as abortion rights, where he supports an amendment to the Virginia constitution that would protect the right to terminate a pregnancy. Having legislators with varied backgrounds would help the state, he said.
“We need people who know about the healthcare industry,” he said “ We need people who know about the education system. We need people who know about transportation. We need those folks in the General Assembly so that we're making really solid, evidence-based based decisions. not..following whoever is at the top.”
“And I think, especially with all the changes that are coming from the national level in regards to healthcare and vaccinations…it's crucially important that we have a physician in the general assembly on the front lines.”
Downey ran unsuccessfully for the former house district 96 in 2019 and 2021 as a Democrat.
He said he has been busy campaigning door to door in what he calls his neighborhood rounds tour, a play on words on doctors’ rounds at hospitals.
“Economic issues are top of mind for people,” said Downing.
He said he favors raising the minimum wage to $15 and providing a safety net for all employees, either through mandates on businesses or subsidies, to ensure they have health insurance.
Such a safety net ultimately saves money and lives, Downey said, because it encourages preventive health care and staves off more expensive care later on.
“If we have more uninsured patients, they still need healthcare. They're still going to show up in the ER. They show up in urgent care, which is the least efficient way, from a cost perspective, to provide health care.”
In our conversation with Green he did not mention his opponent. But Downey’s campaign has criticized Green for his pro-life stance, his views on gun control and his support for Donald Trump and Republican statewide candidates.
State & Regional Headlines
Youngkin touts Va.’s $4.7 billion cash cushion, downplays Medicaid, federal workforce changes
Earle-Sears suggests using Virginia’s ‘rainy day funds’ to cover possible Medicaid funding shortfall
Weekend Fun & Games
First Africans Commemoration, Aug. 16,3p.m.-4:30 p.m. Jamestown Settlement. Free to residents of James City and York County, Williamsburg and William & Mary students with ID.
Williamsburg Photo Walk. Aug. 17, 10 a,m, - noon. 134 N. Henry St. $22
Merchants Square Sunday Night Movies presents Wicked. Aug. 17, 8 p.m. – 11 p.m. Merchants Square. Free.
Passings
Louise Laverne Hill, 98. Aug. 4.
Gina Marie Youngs, 60, Aug. 8.