Should We Look at Abolishing Parking Meters in NH or at Least in Our Cities?

So this will be a controversial statement but here goes: I’d rather pay the applicable tax from my paycheck than have municipal paid parking meters and tolls on New Hampshire roads. For me it’s a convenience and patience issue when it comes to pay now or pay later.

It’s an excellent asset to being a NH resident and/or worker to have no state income tax (unlike other neighboring states), and I get the argument that a resident can choose to avoid parking altogether and find shortcuts around the toll roads OR simply stay home all of the time. Most do frequent our cities and towns with paid meters and travel around this beautiful state with frequency enough to use toll roads, and I’m simply saying the revenue collected by these means, I’d rather simply have taken out of my check.

Case in point, I was headed out for a bite in Dover and after circling the downtown area 3 times, not only was there NO parking to be found nearby, a space blocks and blocks away was meter only, as was the municipal garage, and I happened not to have coins or a credit card on me.

After losing 20 minutes on this process I simply gave up and went home. I grant this was probably a hasty decision but I’d rather see a tax for roads/parking just come out of my check rather than pay each time I park, each time I pass a toll or pay for an EZ pass.

Am I crazy person or does the convenience of free parking and toll free roads make some sense?