Have you had enough time to digest the proposed parking plans in the Town of Kearny? We have and in fairness to all involved, must say, we see no logical point in creating a sticker-based permit program and a parking utility in town, despite what a North Bergen expert has recommended.
We’ll start with the sticker program and what it guarantees. The answer? Absolutely nothing but the right, as you already have been doing, to drive around to seek a spot that does not exist. Putting a sticker on a window does no more to create parking spaces than would a nice Bob Ross painting or perhaps, more appropriately in this case, a gigantic cling-on middle finger, which is what most tend to flip when they have to fight to find a space.
Stickers would create 0 new spaces.
Stickers would create no less difficulty, especially at night and in the First and Second Wards of the town, finding spots.
Stickers would do nothing but cost $15 for two years of more headaches.
As for the parking utility. Well, we’re nowhere near sold this is even needed. At least not yet. Is the idea to create another patronage position for someone to be the executive director at an inordinate taxpayer salary?
Sure seems it. Prove us wrong.
And just what will that executive director do other than to remind us parking around here is abysmal? Will the director ensure there’s universal enforcement of overnight parking of commercial vehicles? Too many questions remain unanswered, so we’re simply not convinced any of this is necessary.
What is needed is for the town to take seriously the number of cars in town that belong to people who live in apartments that are not legal. This is something no one heretofore has been willing to mention, let alone do something about.
So in this year where we will see an unplanned mayoral election, we ask, will any of the three candidates be willing to come forward and say, “Yes, I will look into the root problem — not just offer some gimmick to make it seem like things could get better?” We await hearing an answer from any of the trio. Does anyone out there, however, really expect we’ll get such an answer?
Hold not your breath.
Learn more about the writer ...
Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.