In my opinion, the Kirkland City Council is being somewhat disingenuous in suggesting the purpose of extending paid parking in city-managed parking lots is to reduce confusion.

The one lot requiring payment of $1 per hour from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. is certainly simple enough for anyone. The two lots that are free with a three-hour limit from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and $1 per hour from 5-9 p.m. is hardly that confusing.

A more likely explanation for the council’s deliberations is to mine more revenue from city-managed lots. Not implying the truth of this statement, but accepting the council might wish to increase parking fees, I suggest a better strategy is to extend the paid parking hours from 9 p.m. to midnight in all locations.

This approach brings the increased cost of parking to those who are in the city to enjoy its late-evening amenities and those who are less likely to feel the pain of $3 in additional expense.

To charge $1 an hour for parking in the library garage during the daytime would make a significant impact on mothers bringing children to storybook hours, or people using library computers to find jobs. The library lot is also used by patrons of the teen and senior centers, and the nearby park and pool.

For many of these people adding $3 to the cost of an outing that is currently free or less than $10, could result in real hardship.

Of course, the council isn’t really interested in taking more money from residents. Making parking rules more consistent and easier to understand is all this is about.

Jim Lewis, Kirkland