Rehoboth Contemplates Increasing Parking Permit Costs - WBOC-TV 16, Delmarvas News Leader, FOX 21 -

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del.- As the Rehoboth Beach Commissioners prepare to vote on their new city budget, one item up for consideration is increasing parking permit costs.

The already-approved budget involves upping weekly permits from $60 to $80, three-day weekend permits from $35 to $45, and weekend permits up $5, from $15-20 on the weekends and $10-15 during the week. 

Mayor Paul Kuhns says the changes were designed to offset city services like trash collection and boardwalk upkeep that all people use. He says increasing permit costs allows them to stay clear of other fees many coastal towns employ.

"If you look at the Jersey Shore a lot of those towns have actual beach fees," he tells WBOC. "We don't want to have beach fees and so what is the other alternative?"

Kuhns says he believes longtime visitors will be understanding. 

"Rehoboth is such a great place to come to and I think visitors continue to feel that way," he says. "I think this is--from their perspective--just kind of the rates of having a nice city to attend and a nice beach to go to."

The budget also includes increasing fees for the convention center and permits for commercial buses that stay beyond pick up and drop off. Rehoboth & Dewey Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Carol Everhart says those in town fear any increase in price could hurt their profits. 

"The business community isn't embracing that warmly and has concerns over any increase that would deter visitation.," she says. "Less visitors [means] less feet on the street. Less feet on the street [means] less sales."

"We do understand that the city has services that are provided and need to be paid for but if it's a rapid increase or a substantial increase, we would rather see something a lot more gradual," she continues. 

While the budget has been approved, it is not finalized until it's voted on tonight. That vote is scheduled to take place during the regularly scheduled commissioner meeting at 7 p.m.