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Galveston voting this month on huge increases for parking lot owners


crazy4themouse
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Hi all,

With his permission, I wanted to share a quick email I just got from Jason Hayes of EZ Cruise Parking.

 

 

Hey Gina

 

Just found out the Port of Galveston is voting on an increase on port fees (Tariff) from $8 per space we own per month to $21. That makes my port payment to $8000 from $3000 and would put our family business out of business. 2014 will be our ten anniversary. It will also knock out all the other private owned parking lots.

 

--

Sincerely,

Jason Hayes

Parking Manager

EZCruiseParking.com

2109 postoffice st. #162

Galveston,TX 77550

 

 

 

 

Disturbed, I did some quick research and found this dated the 22nd:

 

"The wharves board voted to defer action on a recommended increase in access fees for private cruise ship parking lot operators and hotels who deliver passengers to the cruise ship terminals. The item will be revisited at next month’s meeting."

 

http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000056899

 

 

The increases as Jason stated are huge... and we all know that the parking lot operators will have to pass those increases along to us cruisers if they hope to stay in business. Everything goes up, we all get that -- but an increase of this much is just pure greed to me, and/or poor planning on the Port's part.

 

I called and spoke with a gentleman at the Port, and asked him what we as cruisers could do to voice our opinions before they "revisit" this issue this month. He said the best thing to do would be to email the Port Director, Michael Mierzwa, at mmierzwa@portofgalveston.com. That's what I intend to do.

 

I just wanted to share this with you guys, since it affects a whole lot of us.

 

 

-gina-

 

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Hi all,

With his permission, I wanted to share a quick email I just got from Jason Hayes of EZ Cruise Parking.

 

 

Hey Gina

 

Just found out the Port of Galveston is voting on an increase on port fees (Tariff) from $8 per space we own per month to $21. That makes my port payment to $8000 from $3000 and would put our family business out of business. 2014 will be our ten anniversary. It will also knock out all the other private owned parking lots.

 

--

Sincerely,

Jason Hayes

Parking Manager

EZCruiseParking.com

2109 postoffice st. #162

Galveston,TX 77550

 

 

 

 

Disturbed, I did some quick research and found this dated the 22nd:

 

"The wharves board voted to defer action on a recommended increase in access fees for private cruise ship parking lot operators and hotels who deliver passengers to the cruise ship terminals. The item will be revisited at next month’s meeting."

 

http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000056899

 

 

The increases as Jason stated are huge... and we all know that the parking lot operators will have to pass those increases along to us cruisers if they hope to stay in business. Everything goes up, we all get that -- but an increase of this much is just pure greed to me, and/or poor planning on the Port's part.

 

I called and spoke with a gentleman at the Port, and asked him what we as cruisers could do to voice our opinions before they "revisit" this issue this month. He said the best thing to do would be to email the Port Director, Michael Mierzwa, at mmierzwa@portofgalveston.com. That's what I intend to do.

 

I just wanted to share this with you guys, since it affects a whole lot of us.

 

 

-gina-

 

 

Gina, thank you for making us aware of this issue. I sent an email to Michael Mierzwa.

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Gina, thank you for making us aware of this issue. I sent an email to Michael Mierzwa.

 

 

Thanks Carol, I did as well. Hopefully if enough of us speak up we can make some sort of a difference.

 

And it'll still affect those who fly in and don't use the parking lots:

 

"...private cruise ship parking lot operators and hotels who deliver passengers to the cruise ship terminals." I imagine if this goes through then folks will be kissing those free hotel shuttles to/from the terminal goodbye -- or the hotels will raise the rates to cover the fees.

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From Jason this morning:

 

"This doesn't just effect EZ Cruise, it also affects Discount Cruise Parking, Lighthouse Parking, 81st Dolphin parking. We are all friends and help each other out. We are all just small businesses."

Again, a price hike is one thing... but the amount of this hike is robbery -- of our money from us, and the livelihood from these small businesses. There's a gray area between profit and greed, but this is nowhere near that gray area.

-gina-

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Thank you for posting this...This was my e-mail to them..

 

Hello. We have been cruising from Galveston for years, but if you increase the fees you will lose my business along with thousands of others. Why do you have to be greedy when you have such a good thing going ? I simply do not understand your thinking, but go ahead and shoot yourself in the foot if you like. I am sure you will not respond to my message , but thanks anyway...

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Just sent our email:

 

Mr Mierzwa,

 

We understand that Galveston is considering a rate hike for port access fees that will affect parking fees at Privately owned port parking and shuttles from hotels.

 

We understand that costs do go up, but the huge increase that has been suggested is very unreasonable. Your city filters 1000's of cruise ship visitors through your local businesses every day - hotels, restaurants, shopping and....the parking lots. To add an increase of this size to the parking for cruise ship passengers is pretty much like shooting yourself in the foot! People from Texas, Oklahoma, Lousiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, etc. cruise from Galveston because of the affordability in cruise prices and the other costs related to the trip - hotels, food & PARKING!

 

This high rate increase will put small business owners OUT of business. Think of your future. Do you want to risk the benefits you enjoy from the 1000's of visitors to your city every year who spend their money in your establishments, by increasing the costs of parking to where they are out of reach for many visitors who cruise for a week or more at a time?

 

We have enjoyed our visits to Galveston many, many times, and taken a number of cruises from your port. We are not wealthy by any means, and have to bargain shop for the best prices on hotels and parking to make our cruises affordable. At an increase you are suggesting, added into the cost of the hotels and cruise costs, we would most likely cease our cruising in the future.

 

Please reconsider the increase that is to be considered at your next meeting. This change could effect your entire economy, not to mention put a lot of your own local people out of work.

 

Thank you for your time and consideration in this regard.

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Thanks for the info! I sent a short message too...

<<< Dear Galveston Port Manager,

I fully understand that you may need to raise the fees paid to you by the parking and hotel vendors to continue to deliver an awesome port experience. We love sailing from Galveston! What I can’t understand, is your intention to raise the fees by the increase that is being proposed. In our opinion, it is too much at one time. Either the vendors will be passing on a huge increase to us, or they will be put out of business!

 

Please reconsider the amount of increase that you need. >>>

 

I alerted all my local cruisin buddies too. I wish the parking vendors would have sent an e-mail to all their former customers. I have parked at EZ as well as lighthouse, and if not for your post... wouldn't have known. I have already heard back from several of my friends that they have also sent an e-mail to the port director. As you get any more info on this, will you please let us know? Thanks!

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Assuming 4.25 weeks in a month, the rate is going from $1.88 to $4.94 per week. IF the lots are 100% full it wouldn't be that much to pass along. And IF they would actually do something useful with the money to update the port it might not be that bad. But of course this is government so it would only be wasted.

 

I'm writing to add my complaint as well.

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My letter:

 

I thought you should know that we chose to sail the Carnival Magic in March mostly because we can drive to the Galveston port from Arizona and park instead of fly - and save considerable money doing so.

 

If you raise these rates as aggressively as you propose, and impact the private business people trying to make a living in this difficult economy, I guarantee you it will be the last time I make the 16 hour effort - just to get taken advantage of by an overcompensating ill-advised government policy.

 

I urge you to reconsider this misguided effort to fund your capital projects and develop a more reasonable, equitable solution that doesn't severely penalize this small, but hugely important part of the Galveston port area.

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Gina, thanks for getting the word out. They must be insane down there. I thought it was going to be a small increase and that people were likely worrying about nothing until I saw how much!!! :eek:

 

I'll be sure and send an e-mail as well.

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I emailed them and havnt got a response.

I understand a little hike but not almost triple

 

I wonder how its going to be this weekend for parking for the cruise ships

The freezing rain is going to make it difficult.

 

Its weekends like this that we need those parking lots

With 2 ships and the Dickens fair it will be busy

 

To bad we cant make the Dickens fair or Sailaway Sunday due to the GF and upcoming surgery. Cant take a chance getting sick

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  • 10 months later...

EZ Cruise Parking

 

October 10, 2014

 

Dear Bruce

 

We still shuttle you and your luggage and the true behind the Go Green Program.

 

Ez Cruise Parking

 

 

Going Green Program

In my effort to always deliver the best customer service, I've noticed a few comments about my new Go Green program.This idea was born out of necessity because of a new policy enacted by the Port of Galveston.

I love Galveston and truly care about your opinion.

The Port of Galveston (POG) has changed the tariff on the private lots twice in recent months.

POG charged EZ Cruise $8 per space per month that we owned to pick up and drop off our customers at the port. These are access fees that we have been paying for years. POG board members voted to up the per space charge to $28.80 per space which is a 261% increase, outrageous.

The POG board has recently vote to eliminate per space fee and charge us a per trip fee of $30 per trip.

So if I continue to run EZ Cruise the current way at an average of 180 trips per cruise day. I am looking at a $64,000.00 a month payment to the POG. DO the math we would go under in one month. A 11 year old family owned and operated company would close its doors, all private lot would shut down. Also when I say family

its family my mother Cindy Tompkins, Myself, my wife Keisha Hayes, best friend and manager Gino and 30 more hard working employees you have come to love over the past 11 years.

 

At this point I am not sure what we are going to do but I am sure we are going to fight to save a family and its business. I don't have all the answer but I am doing my best.

 

Currently we shuttle you, your luggage and your family which is fine. Please understand what we are going through

and struggles we are faced with. Feel free to commit or send us your feed back because there is now way we call do this alone.

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It is the Board of Trustees of Galveston Wharves that voted to increase the access fees to private cruise ship parking lot operators and hotels that deliver passengers to the cruise ship terminals.

 

http://www.portofgalveston.com/index.aspx?NID=67

 

Kat emo32.gif

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Thank you for bringing this to the attention of all and for giving us a way to help. Here is my email.

"It has just come to my attention that the board of the port of Galveston is planning on voting on a HUGE increase to small business owners of privately owned parking lots which our family, as cruisers use. I’m sure that the people who run the Port of Galveston feel justified in considering this type of increase. Yet, it seems like a very poorly thought out decision. This increase will have a domino effect that once enacted will prove detrimental to the economy of Galveston as a whole. With increases upwards of over 200 % affected small businesses will close, leasing to increased unemployment. Affected also will be the cruisers trying to find more affordable ways to cruise, most likely, not being Galveston any more, leading to ships not sailing full, which cruise lines won’t put up with for long, which very realistically could lead to cruise lines pulling out of Galveston, making it a modern day ghost town instead of the thriving, wonderful destination it is right now. Please, seriously consider what you are doing and the ramifications that decision has for all involved. Is this REALLY the best solution for whatever problem your trying to solve? Or is this a plan to put small business owners out of business? What would be best for Galveston? Thank you for listening, I hope this email has helped make a difference."

I hope the voices of many are listened to.

Edited by factotumdeb
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Please note this thread started December 2, 2013.

 

The Board of Trustees of Galveston Wharves already voted on the increased access fees to private cruise ship parking lot operators and hotels who deliver passengers to the cruise ship terminals.

 

Kat emo32.gif

Edited by Host Kat >^..^<
typo
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Please note this thread started December 2' date=' 2013.

 

The Board of Trustees of Galveston Wharves [b']already[/b] voted on the increased access fees to private cruise ship parking lot operators and hotels who deliver passengers to the cruise ship terminals.

 

Kat emo32.gif

 

That is correct Kat.

I believe the increases were not implemented,

because of back lash, or threat of injunction or law suit.

 

What are parking fees at Bayport Houston?

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