Editor’s note: Parking violation 12 is for parking without a permit in a space that is designated for use by persons with a disability. The following comments were provided by Police Chief Dan Meyer.

Whitewater Community,

We’ve heard your questions and concerns regarding the recent changes to parking violation fees, and I want to take a moment to explain why these changes were made.

The decision to adjust our parking fee structure was not made lightly—nor was it made unilaterally by the Police Department. In fact, the revised fee schedule was proposed and approved by the Common Council earlier this year as part of a broader financial strategy to address structural funding challenges facing the City. At that time, it was still unclear whether the operational referendum would pass, so a number of proactive measures were explored.

One key principle behind the parking fee increase is fairness. Instead of shifting more financial burden onto all taxpayers through higher property taxes, this approach better aligns the cost with those responsible for the infraction. In other words, rather than having the entire community shoulder the cost of parking enforcement and maintenance, revenue is generated directly from those who violate the rules.

This adjustment was part of a more comprehensive effort to diversify the City’s revenue streams in a fiscally responsible way. In addition to parking fees, the City also adopted modest cost-recovery charges for open records requests and video redactions—steps that help ensure essential services can continue without further strain on the general fund.

We recognize the timing of the fee implementation may be frustrating to some. Please know it was carefully considered within a larger context, and always with the intent of ensuring fairness and long-term fiscal sustainability.

Respectfully,

Dan Meyer

Chief of Police