Cincinnati City Council raises parking meter rates to close budget deficit

city leaders were able to plug a $32 million deficit and restore human services funding in large part by raising fees and taxes. Council approved higher parking meter rates, higher building permit fees, increased storm water rates, and greater commercial waste hauler fees for many people who don’t get their trash collected by the city. It also passed a new tax on billboards in the city that would bring in $709,000 in the coming year. Council also voted to bring a ballot measure to voters in November that would raise the city’s ticket tax by two percent.