One of the reasons I moved to Green Bay from Florida was that the economy here is very fair. The elected officials in the region just don’t raise rates or invent fees to please the special interests.

And its in the name of not only fairness, but actual value that I believe Green Bay leaders should raise parking garage rates from $1 to $2 dollars an hour for the NFL Draft (story HERE).

If we’re being honest the visitors for the draft will see $2 and probably still think it’s a steal, given all of the options they’ll have to get to the actual draft campus at Lambeau.

Last year, parking at the NFL Draft in Detroit was much, much more (story HERE).

And if you’ve ever taken your family to my old hometown of Orlando, you understand that prices for parking are typically much higher as well. You’d better believe Mickey Mouse and Harry Potter have big plans for the funds collected to let your vehicle just sit there.

It also has to be said that this is outside money. It won’t be our neighbors that are spending extra to park there. The region must take advantage of tourism dollars at every fair opportunity and use those funds to make its community better.

And more importantly, to not take on any extra costs that would allow our local economy to slip.

This decision is an easy one. Green Bay leaders should raise parking garage prices for the draft.

And if they’ve got an Illinois plate on that car, charge them even more. Go Pack!