TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The City of Tucson's parking authority is looking to raise rates on all types of paid parking.
Depending on where and how you park, the proposed change could cost you a few extra cents to $20 every month.
With street parking meters, in addition to a price increase of $1.50 an hour, the biggest change could be the hours.
Under current conditions, parking in metered spots costs $1 an hour plus processing fees enforced from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The proposed changes would stretch that metered time out until 10:00 p.m. seven days a week, including on holidays.
“I absolutely hate that," said Daleiny Hernandez Felis, who works downtown at Raspaderia El Sahuaro. "I’d rather not. Yeah, it makes me— when I have free time— I’d rather avoid downtown then, even more.”
That sentiment was echoed by other young Tucsonans like Daniel Sweezy.
“Honestly, I might not come to downtown as much," he said. "I already don’t come down here often enough. I might just skip out on Downtown completely. I might go to another side of town where—there’s things popping up all over town now.”
Park Tucson's website says the proposal would increase parking accessibility, especially during late night and weekend hours.
"Increasing parking meter rates and enforcement hours encourages higher turnover and directs customers seeking longer-term parking towards one of the many garages or lots available in the downtown area," it reads.
The extra revenue would go back into maintaining parking facilities—like cleaning, security and parking outreach and education— which they say current funds don't fully cover, adding that the rate increase would put them on par with similarly-sized cities.
But some business owners Downtown aren't buying that.
“This is a smaller Downtown," said Roman Casillas, owner and tattoo artist at Istari Tattoo Studios. "I’ve seen bigger cities charge until 10:00 or even midnight now in bigger cities, but I don’t feel like we’re at that point. We’re the standpoint of like a certain amount of money just for parking will deter a lot of people.”
He says many of his customers already avoid Downtown, partially due to parking costs.
Since Casillas is in Downtown Tucson multiple times a week, he got a monthly parking pass for the garage near his studio. Even those rates would rise under Park Tucson's proposal.
Tucson's Mayor and Council are holding a public hearing on the proposal during their Wednesday evening council meeting at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.
If passed, the new rates would kick in until March 1, 2026 for parking lots and residential permits and July 1, 2026 for metered parking and non-residential permits.
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Alex Dowd is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9, where her work combines her two favorite hobbies: talking to new people and learning about the community around her. Her goal is to eventually meet every single person in Tucson. Share your story ideas with Alex via email, alex.dowd@kgun9.com, or connecting on Instagram or X.
