Free Republic

Daily resort fees and parking charges are rising and spreading in Las Vegas, adding as much as $45 a day to visitors' hotel bills. The publisher of Las Vegas Advisor blames the extra charges for a recent decline in the number of visitors. "Everyone hates resort fees, but the parking [fee] is even worse," said Anthony Curtis of Las Vegas Advisor. "Everyone wants some kind of comp, [and] the most basic comp is free parking. That was the one comp that everyone got." The Advisor, a decades-old, monthly newsletter highlighting what's new in Vegas and featuring deals for visitors, provides...

Like many northeastern cities, Harrisburg has a severe parking problem — unless you are one of about 3,200 state employees whose parking costs are picked up by state taxpayers. The little-known benefit was picked up by the Harrisburg Patriot-News in an article concerning the capital city’s manifest financial woes and its attempt to get out of state receivership. The Department of General Services rents 3,200 parking spaces at garages near the Capitol Building for some state employees. There are also 885 parking spots on two levels under the East Wing of the Capitol that are free to 253 state lawmakers,...

The town council's public safety committee voted against allowing hybrid vehicles to park for free. There will be no free parking in Doylestown for "green" vehicles. Doylestown Council's public safety committee unanimously voted Wednesday to reject a proposal to allow hybrid and electric vehicles to park in borough lots and at borough meters for free. Their vote was met with applause from the 15 business owners and residents who attended the meeting. The free parking program was proposed by Assistant Borough Manager Phil Ehlinger in an April 23 memo to council. He suggested allowing "green" vehicles to park for free...

One perk of driving a hybrid vehicle in the city of Los Angeles — free parking — will come to an end next month, under action taken today by the Los Angeles City Council. Almost a year ago, the council approved an ordinance allowing drivers with a state Clean Air Vehicle decal on their vehicle to park at city meters at no cost. Less than a week after that approval, however, the council moved to reconsider the issue in light of the city's financial problems. The council unanimously agreed to eliminate free parking for drivers of Toyota Prius, Honda Civic...

Give birth, get a parking pass? California lawmakers are considering granting special parking privileges to women in the final three months of pregnancy and the first two months after birth. The legislation would apply to more than a half-million women who give birth every year in California. Assemblyman Chuck DeVore's bill would qualify pregnant women for "temporarily disabled" parking placards from the Department of Motor Vehicles. "Let's be reasonable here: There are challenges, physical challenges, that arise as a natural part of life," DeVore said of pregnancy. The Irvine Republican said it makes little sense to force a pregnant woman...