Lehigh County
Allentown City Council commits $20K for parking authority
ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Allentown City Council voted Wednesday night unanimously to approve money for a feasibility study on the Allentown Parking Authority’s operations, including the potential for the city to take it over entirely, or in parts.
Mayor Matt Tuerk asked City Council Wednesday night for $10,000. City Council accepted the mayor’s request and agreed to match $10,000 towards the effort.
“I think that they heard the concerns of the people tonight,” Tuerk said. “I think City Council smartly responded.”
“Frustration has been building lately with how the parking enforcement is executed,” Tuerk said Wednesday night. “We’re just trying to ask some questions on how it’s done.”
Tuerk has said he is aware of residents’ issues with the Allentown Parking Authority.
“We get multiple calls daily here in the mayor’s office and in various departments in the city,” Tuerk said Tuesday. “Just asking about how this happened.”
“What we want to do is understand what our options look like. There is certainly an option where the enforcement of parking is returned to the City of Allentown,” Tuerk said. “To be a little more forgiving of the needs of our residents. It could look like that. It could be like a lot of other different forms.”
The Allentown parking authority is an independent organization with its own board of directors which Mayor Tuerk does appoint.
Residents have been voicing their concerns on Facebook and at the Wednesday night meeting expressing concerns about illegally going on private property to local businesses not being able to store their shipments without receiving a ticket while trying to bring business to the city.
