Philly Council panel retreats on push for city control of on-street parking

A Philadelphia City Council committee has put on indefinite hold a move to take back control of on-street parking in the city.

Councilman David Oh proposed that the city control on-street parking, taking that power back from the Philadelphia Parking Authority.  Oh disagreed with the city solicitor’s judgment that the city can’t do that without permission from the state.

“The only argument that the parking authority or the commonwealth could could make is that it has a legitimate interest in public education in Philadelphia,” Oh said Monday. “However, the facts indicate that they have not done that. They are not close to funding the schools.”

Authority chairman Joe Ashdale declined to testify at the hearing, citing the city solicitor’s opinion.

Oh, who said he’s not trying to dismantle the parking authority, said he wants to come up with a way to make more revenue from on-street parking for the city.

The authority now oversees regulation and enforcement of on-site parking facilities at Philly International Airport, regulation and enforcement of on-street parking functions, and management of all Philadelphia taxi and limousine services, including the issuing of taxi medallions.

The Philadelphia School District, as well as the city and the state, benefit from the revenue it collects.