The political fighting between Projet Montreal and Mayor Gerald Tremblay has reached a new level, with the Plateau Mont-Royal borough essentially accusing Montreal of stealing its parking meter money.
The Plateau Mont-Royal borough, dominated by Projet Montreal councillors, struck a deal with the central city last year to install new parking meters on local streets as a source of new revenue.
The hourly parking rate of $3 rankled residents and merchants alike, but the borough said the money was needed for new projects.
Now the borough is saying that Montreal is rescinding that agreement and has pocketed about $1 million of its cash.
"They are effectively attempting to seize parking meter revenue that belongs to our community and put it in their own kitty," said Projet Montreal councilor Alexander Norris.
Tremblay is furious about the allegations, but ultimately, not surprised.
"In this world, if you have a problem, you always blame the mayor of Montreal," he said in jest.
Tremblay says the real problem is the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough's budget projections for parking meter revenue were overly optimistic. He also believes drivers are staying away from the borough because of what he called "anti-car policies."
"If they don't meet their projections," Tremblay said, "they only have themselves to blame."
Even without the $1 million, the borough still expects to register a surplus of approximately $2 million this year.
