Christmas Eve Letter

Open Letter to Mayor Schneider and Council:

Today is Christmas Eve — a day many folks celebrate as a holiday. And in my neck of the woods, the Westside, it’s the day most of my neighbors celebrate Christmas south of the border and here. Yet, that didn’t stop the meter maid from ticketing our cars this afternoon. I’m pretty upset. My husband and I had two cars parked out front of our house, believing that today is a holiday.

My neighbor banged on the door to alert us, but too late. The meter maid not only ticketed us, as well as many of my neighbors’ cars, she was wearing a Santa hat! And, she apparently took pictures of our license plates, for what reason I can’t imagine. All I know, that the city is mean-spirited. And to do this to one of the poorest parts of town.

Those two tickets will cost us about $90. Worse, most of my neighbors who were ticketed are dirt poor. Probably what that ticket cost them is what they had set aside for their children’s Christmas.

It’s Christmas Eve. To send out the meter maid and allow her to ticket on this day, of all days, it’s Dickensian in its charity. The fact that the street was full of cars that normally would not be parked on a Wednesday is testament to the fact that I was not alone in believing this to be a holiday. I am asking that the city waive the tickets for this day. Oh, and for tomorrow, too, while we’re at it.