San Jose Parking Official Urges Pause on Rate Hike Plan

San Jose parking official Tamiko Rast is urging the City Council to delay consideration of a five-year parking rate hike plan, citing chronic underinvestment in infrastructure and opaque financial oversight. In an open letter, the Downtown Parking Board vice chair criticized the Department of Transportation for managing roughly $15 million in annual parking revenue without sufficient reinvestment in facilities. Rast noted declining conditions at garages, including The Globe Parking Garage, due to years of deferred maintenance, with issues like poor lighting, security lapses and elevator failures.

Rast also flagged transparency shortcomings, including delayed disclosures and incomplete records that have limited the parking board’s advisory role. A quorum shortfall at the Sept. 2 meeting prevented formal board input on the revised rate proposal, which now heads to council on Sept. 29.

The plan would lift downtown meter rates from $2 to $4 per hour by 2030 and extend operating hours to 9 p.m., generating $4 million in new annual revenue. That income would offset $1.2 million per year diverted to the city’s general fund. Downtown business leaders, including San Jose Downtown Association CEO Brian Kurtz, support a deferral to ensure improvements keep pace with price increases.