Hope you’ve got big pockets

The Atlanta City Council might soon be considering jacking up parking meter fees in the city to $2 per hour.?

It’s an idea that’s been on the table for about two years, says District 10 City Councilman C.T. Martin, who is sponsoring the legislation at the behest of council president Robb Pitts, but it coincides with the availability of new, electronic parking meters. ?

With the new meters, it’s possible to use a pre-paid card, which should eliminate the specter of smashing your piggy bank every time you drive to an Atlanta restaurant and face the depressing task of dumping eight quarters into the machine every hour.?

Martin says two bucks per hour is more or less the industry standard in cities around the country, and in Atlanta, the price hike is seen as a way to generate more revenue for a city always in need of more money.?

So far, Martin says he hasn’t heard any opposition to the proposed rate increase.