La Crosse City Council Approves $175,000 Levy on Downtown Businesses for Police Patrols

The La Crosse Public Works Board unanimously approved a resolution Monday appropriating $175,000 for the operation and maintenance of the downtown parking system.

For over 40 years, drivers in downtown La Crosse have been able to avoid parking meters and park on the street for free for a limited time.

To compensate for the lack of parking fees, the city has set up a parking facility. Businesses in the city center must pay an annual fee to pay for parking patrols.

According to La Crosse Assistant Police Chief Jason Melby, the fine could be as much as $175,323.89, which would offset some of the $1.3 million cost in 2025.

“The $175,000 offsets some of the cost,” Melby told the La Crosse Board of Public Works on Monday. “We do have staff that patrols the curbside in downtown on a regular basis.”

Melby added that the use of city centre car parks has fallen sharply in recent years, apparently because more people are now working from home, meaning the city is collecting less money in charges than it used to.

The city also began charging full parking fees for ramps last October. Previously, the first three hours were free. Street parking in the city center is free for two hours.

La Crosse’s parking assessment dates back to 1982, when parking meters were removed from downtown streets. The board approved the latest assessment plan Monday.