LAFAYETTE — An increase in parking rates along the streets of downtown Lafayette is catching many local businesses off guard.
In effect on Tuesday, parking rates have gone up from fifty cents per hour to one dollar per hour.
"I think that's ridiculous," says Robin McMillan, worker at Creative Spaces Gallery in Downtown. "Times are hard enough right now, we don't need to be going up on other stuff to cost people more money."
In addition to rates going up per hour, the enforcement of the meters have changed to twenty-four hours, seven days a week.
Owner of Beausoleil Books Bryan Dupree says that most of his business happens on Saturdays and Sundays, and he is one of the many small businesses on the strip that is worried the parking rates will drive away customers.
"Multiple voices are needed...we have to stand as a unified downtown core," said Dupree. "So I think we may do an open letter, that other small businesses and downtown residents can sign that explains some of our grievances and our problems with the weekend activity."
Lafayette Consolidated Government officials say that the increased revenue could help with the many needs of downtown such as security, maintenance and infrastructure.
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