At last week's Middletown Parking Advisory meeting, members agreed with downtown retailers that a return to free Saturday parking at Melilli and the Upper Arcade (off Court Street) parking lots would benefit retailers in the city.
Members are asking Mayor Dan Drew and the Common Council to authorize the implementation.
A number of small business owners in the Main Street Market pedestrian mall, such as Pamela Roose, who owns a specialty knits shop, and Linda Bower of the Book Bower say folks who come to eat downtown wouldn't feel rushed to return to their cars to avoid high parking charges if amnesty was offered on Saturdays.
Some say this policy of charging to park results in people who would otherwise shop local to drive to large shopping plazas, big box stores or the malls to avoid paying to park.
Do you agree that free Saturday parking in certain city lots is warranted?