From Melanie’s facebook site – https://www.facebook.com/TringaliforMedford

Melanie’s official web site – https://www.tringaliformedford.com/

Yesterday at City Hall, I overheard a young woman asking about her parking tickets. But the real issue wasn’t the fines—it was the lack of parking – she had no where to park.

After speaking with her I learned that she rents on Salem Street in Medford Square, works overnight as a nurse at Mass General, and gets home around 7/8 AM. With meters in the square and residential-only side streets, she has nowhere to park. She used to park near the post office, but that’s no longer allowed. Her only option now? Setting an alarm every two hours to feed the meter after working all night.

This is what happens when we remove parking and assume people won’t need cars. The reality is—many still do. Not everyone can rely on public transit or long commutes.

We need to protect parking, not take it away. Residents—whether homeowners or renters—deserve the peace of mind that they’ll have a place to park when they come home.