Parking meters in Muscatine, Iowa have been a continuous hot topic which tends to resurface without a resolution. Many citizens of the city are against the parking meters for various reasonable reasons, but I want to focus on specific parking meters. The parking meters that surround MCSA (Muscatine Center for Social Action), a building with access to resources and a shelter for those who are unhoused. Parking meters around MCSA are unethical due to the population utilizing MCSA services and should be replaced with a time limited parking sign instead. I don’t think it is morally acceptable for the city to fine people who need a lift up, not a push down.
To begin, let’s talk about MCSA and what services they provide. As a staff member of an MCSA program, Project Rise Above (PRA), it is my job to know what these resources are and offer my knowledge to the guests who utilize the PRA program. With MCSA’s mission being, “We strive to provide housing, basic health care, educational, and support services to those in need in Muscatine County,” they certainly do just that (Our History). The services offered by MCSA include Homeless Prevention, Emergency Shelter, the Domestic Violence Shelter, Project Rise Above, MCSA Food Pantry, Community Healthcare Dental and Eye clinics, apartment rentals, Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and other agencies like Robert Young services and their peer drop-in center (Muscatine Center For…). People who utilize these services, need these services… I need these services.
Being part of the population who utilizes MCSA services, I know first-hand about receiving a parking ticket for an expired meter right outside of MCSA. I am often in and out of MCSA to either grab donations of clothes, hygiene products and / or food for guests of PRA or myself. I don’t know about anyone else, but I don’t always remember to carry a supply of quarters when I need them the most and now there is an increase in parking meter rates in Muscatine that began sometime in November of 2024 (Voice of Muscatine). I want to point out the Muscatine, Iowa government website has not updated their information with the new parking meter rates (Parking Fees and Fines). A quarter raise from fifty cents an hour to 75 cents an hour might not be much, but it is much when you only have one quarter which means 20 minutes to complete your errand(s). The moment I walk out to my vehicle to see that bright yellow paper, I find myself in awe (and maybe a few choice words) at the diligence of the parking enforcement officers. I tend to look around as if I would be able to still see the hustle of the person just doing their job. I can’t hate them for a job well done, but I can certainly dislike the fact that there are parking meters surrounding MCSA.
Let’s dig a little deeper into this issue and take a look at the revenue gathered for all the parking meters in Muscatine to find the potential annual revenue for the 18 parking meters surrounding MCSA. I gathered information from the “City of Muscatine, Iowa Annual Budget Fiscal Year 2024/2025,” and with the help of my Statistics Professor at Muscatine Community College, Brian Abbott, we were able to calculate that approximately 4.5% of revenue is gathered annually from the 18 parking meters around MCSA. Here’s the breakdown for a closer look. In the fiscal year 2021/2022, the total revenue gathered for all 399 parking meters in Muscatine was $5503. Meaning that per meter, the annual total revenue is approximately $13.79. We take that amount of $13.79 and multiply it by the 18 parking meters surrounding MCSA to get an annual total of $248.22. The dollar amount of $248.22 for the 18 parking meters around MCSA, divided by the total annual cost of all parking meters at $5503 is approximately 4.5%. The following fiscal year of 2022/2023 has a higher revenue, but after completing the same calculations, we found out it is the same 4.5% for the 18 parking meters as the previous fiscal year. I encourage you to complete your own calculations with the public information we are given (Pages 313-319).
However, there’s got to be a reason to have parking meters, and that reason is traffic flow. When we put the flow of traffic in our minds and dissect it, we might accept the reason. It’s not ideal to have employees using those parking spaces because it would void the idea for those spaces to be used by people who utilize MCSA services. The same concept applies for those who rent a dorm or stay at the family and / or emergency shelter, it would also stop the flow of traffic. It makes sense, but there is still a solution to keep the traffic flowing. Time limited parking signs.
If time limited parking signs work on one of the busiest streets in our downtown business locations, I think it will work for the surrounding MCSA parking spaces. 2nd Street in Muscatine tends to be a very active area with restaurants, bars, a pharmacy, retail shops and more. While the city still collects overtime fines for those who stay parked past the 2-hour time limited parking on 2nd Street, the parking is free up until then (Available Parking Locations). This 2-hour time limited parking sign allows for the traffic to flow and the diligent parking enforcement officers to still have an occupation without taking from the people first.
In summary, it is possible for the City of Muscatine to make a change that puts the people first. Not only would a time limited parking sign allow for traffic flow, but it would also allow people free parking to access needed services at MCSA without taking away the job of the parking enforcement officer. By switching to a time limited parking sign, the City of Muscatine would see a minimal loss of 4.5% of parking meter revenue and a gain of ethical considerations by the public eye. Muscatine, show the people where you stand.
Works Cited
“Available Parking Locations.” Muscatine,
https://www.muscatineiowa.gov/167/Available-Parking-Locations Accessed 4/28/2025
“Muscatine Center For Social Action.” MCSA renewing hope… rebuilding lives, Muscatine,
Iowa. https://www.mcsaiowa.org/ Accessed 4/29/2025
“New parking rates implemented in Muscatine.” Voice of Muscatine, November 25, 2024,
Muscatine, Iowa.
https://voiceofmuscatine.com/2024/11/25/new-parking-rates-implemented-in-muscatine/
Accessed 4/29/2025
“Our History.” MCSA renewing hope… rebuilding lives, Muscatine, Iowa.
https://www.mcsaiowa.org/about-us Accessed 4/29/2025
“Parking Fees and Fines.” Muscatine, https://www.muscatineiowa.gov/164/Parking-Fees-Fines
Accessed 4/28/2025
Webb, Carol. Lueck A, Nancy. McCullough, LeAnna. “Parking System.” City of Muscatine,
Iowa Annual Budget Fiscal Year 2024/2025, Muscatine, Iowa. Pages 313-319.
https://www.muscatineiowa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29886/Budget-FY25—E-File-7-3-24-PDF Accesses 4/29/2025
Submitted by Cheyenne Arnold.
