Tickets discourage tourists

So interesting to read your article in the paper [From Canyon To Cove, “Going over the line with Laguna parking,” May 28].

I am a “local,” having lived in Laguna since 1969. I have a local parking sticker on my car that clearly indicates I live in town.

At Christmas I was visiting my eye doctor and parked in the same [Glenneyre Street] structure. I, too, received a ticket for parking over the line. The parking structure was quite vacant. So it wasn’t as if I had taken up too many parking spaces.

This was at Christmas, and I had read how we should “shop” local. Never again. I now never dine downtown, shop downtown and only visit downtown to pick up my mail once a week at the post office. I run in and run out. I don’t stop for coffee or a pastry. I don’t visit the local markets or stores. I take my business elsewhere.

I think the parking police are discouraging locals and visitors alike. Is there anything we can do? I don’t think the merchants are very happy with this “philosophy” of penalizing those who are not perfect parkers.