Princeton Council has tabled an ordinance that would have set new rates for the Spring Street Garage behind Princeton Public Library. At a meeting on September 15, the governing body decided further investigation is needed before a vote is taken on the measure, which proposes eliminating the library’s policy of two hours free parking for cardholders and replacing it with one hour free parking for all.

Currently anyone parking in the garage gets a half hour for free. One purpose of the ordinance would be to stop those non-cardholders who abuse the policy by getting their tickets stamped in the library, allowing them to have two hours of free parking.

“The world is full of cheaters,” said resident Deborah Thomas, one of several members of the public who spoke against the policy. Changing the fees would be an unfair “bait and switch” that would penalize less affluent library users who count on the two hours of free parking, she added.

Resident Howard Silbersher said he took an unofficial survey of library patrons, asking them what they thought of the proposed ordinance. Six were in favor, 50 were not, and mothers with small children who make extensive use of the library’s programs were particularly upset and angry at the prospect.

Council President Bernie Miller recalled that when the library was expanded and rebuilt more than a decade ago, there was considerable debate about whether to relocate it to the Princeton Shopping Center or rebuild on its footprint in the downtown. “Those who contributed to the construction of the library were promised by both municipalities [former Borough and Township] that if the library was located at its present location on Witherspoon Street, library cardholders would receive two hours of free parking in the garage,” he said. “That is the context of where we are today. That context needs to be considered when we take a look at the fee structure.”

Princeton Public Library director Leslie Burger said there was a misconception that the library was anxious to stop having to validate parking tickets. The library, which installed a self-validation machine last May, is willing to continue the validation process and keep the two-hour guarantee for cardholders, she said. When free parking was temporarily suspended in 2007 because the former Borough and Township could not agree on the subsidy, attendance at the building “plummeted,” Ms. Burger recalled. “After 12 months the Borough and Township agreed to provide two hours of parking in perpetuity.” She added, “I’m all for barrier-free access to Princeton Public Library.”

Most Council members said they were in favor of leaving the two-hours-free policy in place. But Jenny Crumiller said that while she understands people’s concerns, revenue has to come from somewhere. “I think the world has changed since we built the library,” she said. “The truth is there is no free parking. Someone has to pay for it. In my view people who use the library are people who should pay for it. So I support the ordinance as it is written.”

Council could reconsider the ordinance as early as next month. Parking has been free at the garage for the past week while equipment for a new payment system is being installed at the two entrances. The garage is the only one in town that is run by the municipality.