I am writing as a resident of Port Washington for over 35 years, as well as an avid local shopper. I was thrilled to see the multiple articles and reminders in your newspaper to shop locally this holiday season. Over this past Thanksgiving weekend, I chose to forego the mall and start on Main Street. I brought along my out-of-town guests to some of my favorite Port shops in an effort to support the local merchants.
My friends and family know that I always do my best to be cognizant of keeping parking meters filled with the required quarter per half an hour. However, as my guests and I completed our hours long expensive but enjoyable shopping spree, it was a mere few minutes after the time limit expired. We discovered a ticket on the windshield for the exorbitant amount of $85. With sadness, this incident will most likely make this my last attempt to shop locally. If it is the purpose of the Chamber of Commerce to entice residents to significantly add to the local economy, reasonable parking violation fines should be considered, as well as waiving meter fees earlier in the holiday season.
—A. Meryl
