The bill introduced on May 23rd to increase the cost of the Contractor Parking Permit and increase the fines for violators of the program from $100 to $1,000 was HELD in Committee on June 5, 2019 and not voted on.
Councilman Squilla held the Contractor Parking Bill in Committee because of the overwhelming response from our industry and after meeting with contractors along with the PPA and Administration Officials.Thank you to all of you who made phone calls, wrote letters and used your contacts to achieve this result. Without the overwhelming response from you, it was expected that this bill would have passed. It will now sit dormant for the summer as Council is in recess.
But… it will not stay dormant for long. Keep in mind the PPA is looking to increase the contractor parking permit because it “is being abused.” The PPA believes, amongst other things, contractors willfully apply for more permits than needed so employees can park all day for less than $3.00 per day. This puts a strain on parking spaces for Philadelphians and visitors alike.
The conversation is certainly a robust one for both sides. AGMA learned from its members that beyond concerns about the dramatic increase in cost, glazing contractors face the very real issue of working with larger and larger units/windows/etc. which prohibits glass trucks from using off street (i.e., garage) parking. Joe Ashdale, Chairman of the PPA understood this concern when it was raised to him and said it is something that will be considered as this bill is discussed.
AGMA will work with the PPA and Council to ensure that contractor input is included as they rework the bill. Please contact AGMA at 484-444-0129 with questions or concerns. The more experiences shared, the better AGMA will be able to help serve its contractors.
For a copy of the current legislation, please contact AGMA at 484.444.0129