RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Throughout the United States, numerous cities are utilizing a "smart" electronic fare collection infrastructure, including payment of parking meter fees with smart cards; and
WHEREAS, Smart card technology, which has been available for many years, is a convenient and easy way to pay parking meter fees; and
WHEREAS, On December 4, 2008, the City of Chicago executed a concession agreement with Chicago Parking Meters, LLC, (the "concessionaire") which transferred the operation of the parking meter system to the concessionaire; and
WHEREAS, As part of that agreement, the concessionaire was required to replace certain coin-based parking meters with new high-tech, multi-space/multi-user pay meters that would facilitate payment of the fees with cash, credit and debt cards, and other potential payment systems; and
WHEREAS, Currently, the concessionaire does not offer an alternative to purchase and use a smart card for the payment of the parking meter fees; and
WHEREAS, The City Council wishes to be advised by the concessionaire of the feasibility of offering a smart card alternative whereby a person may purchase a smart card with a pre-loaded amount of money on the card to be used at the parking meter pay boxes; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the Members of the City Council of Chicago, assembled this thirteenth day of January, 2011, do hereby request that the Committee on Traffic Control and Safety hold a hearing regarding the use of a smart card alternative for the payment of parking meter fees and to invite a representative from the concessionaire to present information on the feasibility of offering a smart card alternative at its pay boxes; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be sent to the Committee on Traffic Control and Safety and the Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Parking Meters, LLC.