State officials have agreed to stop hogging scarce parking spaces in Fort Greene — but only after The Stoop started asking too many questions.
In recent years, state bureaucrats equipped with city parking permits have plopped their cars down all day long in Fort Greene parking spots, at the expense of area residents and small businesses — despite the permits’ three-hour time limits and the presence of 12 nearby subway lines and the Long Island Railroad.
Equally irksome, the city Department of Transportation — the same agency that issued the permits to the government workers — recently equipped many of those parking spots with meters, ostensibly to increase turnover and boost patronage of local businesses.
After The Stoop asked about the misuse of permits by Department of Taxation and Finance workers at three spots along Lafayette Avenue at Fort Greene Place, the agency, whose offices are a block away on Hanson Place, promised that its employees’ behavior would improve.
“We spoke with the employees of that office [and] I don’t think there’ll be any more issues,” said Michael Bucci, a Finance spokesman.
Area residents were hopeful that the bureaucrats’ behavior would improve.
“We have to at least give them a chance,” said Fredrik Anderson, vice chair of the Fort Greene Association, which has campaigned hard for better parking practices by government employees.
“Perhaps a new page has turned.”
While their future parking habits remain in question, one thing remains certain — parking in Fort Greene is an issue.
“The meters initially did open up space so people could get in an out of stores,” said Selma Jackson, who runs 4W Circle on Fulton Street. “But it’s still tight.”
