Cambridge parking permit changes address chronic underfunding

Cambridge will raise its annual resident parking permit fee from $25 to $75 starting with renewals on December 1, the first increase since 2013. The authors, MIT graduate students in city planning, argue the higher charge addresses chronic underfunding: the city estimates the program costs $2.74 million annually but collects about $795,000 in fees. They say the shortfall is effectively paid by all residents, including households without cars.