Motorgate rates are going up.

Starting March 1, Island-resident customers will pay $10 more per month for their spaces.  The increase for non-residents is $5 per month.

Joan Christianson (letter, page 2), a member of the Residents Association (RIRA) Common Council, said she is angry about the increase because customers received one less than two years ago. She said she is also concerned for certain customers.  "A lot of people are on fixed incomes, and ten dollars is a big increase," she said.  When she called RIOC President Robert Ryan and asked if he had RIOC Board approval for the hike, she said his reply was he didn't need the Board's OK.  When contacted for comment, Ryan confirmed his statement. "I personally approved the rate increase," he said.  When asked about resident reaction to the hike, he said, "I've only received one letter from anybody on the Island, so I don't think there's too many irate people out there."

At least one resident plans to do something about the increase.  At Wednesday night's RIRA Common Council meeting, Christianson started circulating a petition she plans to present to the RIOC Board at its meeting scheduled for Thursday evening, February 15.

And a Motorgate employee, who did not want to give his name, said, "People are always upset when there's a raise because they don't know what's being done with the money."

Another monthly customer, pediatrician Katherine Grimm, said, "I'm not happy" about the increase, but added, "If expenses went up, then it's fair." She listed some possible expenses she felt might justify a rate increase: capital improvements, utility rate increases or an increase in liability insurance for Motorgate.

When asked the reason for the increase, Jerry Morecraft, Director of Management Accounting at Central Parking, said, "I prefer not to comment on that," and referred the question to RIOC.

At RIOC, Ryan said, "It was a business decision on the part of Central after consulting with us." He explained that the company told him that the Motorgate rates did not compare with those at their other facilities in the city so it was time to raise Motorgate fees.  Ryan agreed and approved the new rates. "They're running a business," he said.

Morecraft emphasized that Central Parking had complied with the requirement to advise the Department of Consumer Affairs 60 days prior to the increase.  He added that the company has posted signs at Motorgate, distributed fliers, and has included the information in tenants' February bill.