AuthorPPA Staff

Catching a flick these days isn’t all that cheap. From tickets to popcorn and candy, you tend to walk out of the theater with a burnt hole in your pocket. Luckily with summer underway, it’s time to pull out the lawn chairs for Screening Under the Stars!

Here’s The Deal:
Every Thursday in July and August at 8:30 p.m., Penn’s Landing offers a FREE movie to watch at the Delaware River Stage. From classic films to recent Academy Award winners, not much beats watching a flick under the stars with the Delaware River as your backdrop for a whopping $0.00. So if you’re a movie buff, check out the list of scheduled movies below.

Scheduled Movies:

• Captain America: Civil War – July 6th (Cancelled due to weather conditions)
• LaLa Land – July 13th
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – July 20th
• Purple Rain – July 27th
• Magnificent Seven – August 3rd
• Kong: Skull Island – August 10th
• Beauty and the Beast – August 17th
• The Lego Batman Movie – August 24th
• Sing – August 31st

Let’s Roll Into Parking:
Fortunately, we offer convenient parking spots for you to park all throughout the city. The Independence Mall Autopark offers a $10.00 flat rate after 5 p.m. In addition, the Olde City AutoPark is just a few blocks away from where the outdoor screen sits. So now you can sit back, relax and watch the screen with ease.

Need more parking guidance? Reach out to us on Facebook or Twitter. We’re here to help!

CREDIT: COURTESY DRWC

If you drive into Philly multiple times a week for work, there’s a chance you park your vehicle in a garage. Since safety is always a top priority for us at our AutoParks, we wanted to give you a brief rundown on some safety tips. Although most of these tips may seem self-explanatory, it’s important to remind ourselves of these cautionary measures before we enter any parking facility.

Before You Exit Your Vehicle:

• Make sure you park in a well-lit area.
• Make sure items are hidden from plain view before exiting your vehicle. Lock up all valuables.

Walking In The Garage:

• As soon as you exit your vehicle, lock it right away. Don’t take any chances.
• Walk with purpose and be aware of all surroundings.
• Avoid looking down at your phone to/from your car. This is a huge distraction and a sign of vulnerability. In other words, check your texts later.
• Be alert when using stairs or elevators.

Returning To The Vehicle:

• Hold your keys in your hand to avoid fumbling through your pockets/ purse.
• Lock the doors as soon as you get back in your car, even before putting on your seatbelt. Spending extra time with the vehicle’s GPS or radio is not advised.
• Don’t linger in your car. Exit the garage quickly, but remember to check your mirrors for traffic and pedestrians.

All in All:

• Prepare for the worst—consider carrying a personal noisemaker or personal defense device.
• Trust your instincts. Always go with your gut feeling.
• Report suspicious activity right away by calling 911.

If you ever feel the slightest amount of discomfort in a parking garage, do not hesitate to report and react to the situation at hand.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

Philadelphia has some pretty colorful names for places. Think about it: We have Fishtown, The Schuylkill River, and Queens Village just to start. But when someone mentions the Gayborhood, you know exactly where that is: home to some of the best food, drinks and shopping Philadelphia has to offer. Now we probably have you thinking about the next time you should get your Green Eggs fix or a chocolate budino from Barbuzzo, right?

Let’s Get Right Into It:

On Sunday, June 18, the Gayborhood will expand to celebrate love in all forms, shapes and sizes with one of the city’s hottest annual events as Philly Pride hosts the 28th Annual LGBT Pride Parade and Festival!

The parade kicks off at 13th and Locust Streets at 11:30 a.m. with 25,000 participants parading down Market Street. Judges will do what they do best at 5th and Market street as elaborate and colorful floats serenade passersby. The festivities will continue all the way down to Penn’s Landing until 1 p.m.

Now Let’s Get You Parked:

If you plan on heading to the parade, you’ll have three convenient parking options along the parade route. Check out the options below and see what works best for you.

Need more parking guidance during the parade? Connect with us on Twitter or Facebook and we’ll get you squared away.

8TH & CHESTNUT LOT

8th & Chestnut streets

Rates:

• Weekends – $10 per day (Saturday and Sunday)

INDEPENDENCE MALL AUTOPARK

5th & Market streets

Rates:

• Early Bird, Enter between 6-9 a.m., exit by 6 p.m. – $14.00
• Up to 1/2 hour – $4.00
• Up to 1 hour – $8.00
• Up to 1 1/2 hours – $12.50
• Up to 2 hours – $17.50
• Up to 10 hours – $20.00
• Up to 24 hours – $22.00

OLD CITY AUTOPARK

2nd & Sansom streets

Rates:

• Early Bird – Enter by 9 a.m., exit by 6 p.m. – $10.50
• Up to 1/2 hour – $4.00
• Up to 1 hour – $8.00
• Up to 1 1/2 hours – $12.50
• Up to 2 hours – $16.50
• Up to 12 hours – $18.50
• Up to 24 hours – $20.50

Credit: Photo by J. Fusco for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®

We want parking your vehicle to be the least of your worries when you drive in the city to work, play or visit.  That’s why we are excited to offer this free workshop to anyone who feels the same.

If you:

1)  Get parking tickets

2)  Find parking signs confusing

3)  Cringe at the thought of parallel parking

4)  Want to learn how to avoid tickets and park safely in the city

Then, we cordially invite you to attend our FREE public workshop- “Street Parking 101.”

On Saturday, June 17th, 2017, we will host a two-hour, fact and fun-filled workshop from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at our headquarters, located at 701 Market Street.

SPACE WILL BE LIMITED, so please send an email today to [email protected] to register and find out more information.  Registration will be closed on Friday, June 9th at 5:00.

•    Hear from your own Parking Enforcement Officers the tricks to avoid tickets and readily understand any parking sign you may come across!
•    Get one-on-one, hands on instruction from a certified driving instructor on how to parallel park like a pro!
•    Learn tips on parking and driving safety for two and four wheeled vehicles!

Spend your Saturday morning with us, complete the course, and then enjoy two hours of complimentary parking on us at our newly renovated Parkade on 8th parking garage!  We encourage you to enjoy your afternoon with nearby shopping, wonderful eating establishments and great historical attractions.

Again, SPACE WILL BE LIMITED, so please send an email today to [email protected] to register and find out more information. Registration will be closed on Friday, June 9th at 5:00.

We look forward to seeing you on June 17th!

The Philadelphia Parking Authority has multiple priorities and goals that guide our daily operations. These goals include:

• Provide comprehensive on-street parking management services.
• Set standards of excellence and fair pricing through the construction and management of off-street parking facilities.
• Assist in presenting a first rate introduction to the region by providing attractive, user friendly, on-site parking facilities at the Philadelphia International Airport.
• Ensure safe, attractive, reliable taxicab, limousine and transportation network services through sound regulations and consistent enforcement.
• Improve traffic and pedestrian safety through automated red light camera enforcement at dangerous intersections.
• Apply new technology and continue professional staff development to ensure the highest quality public service and the greatest efficiency in all operations.

As we strive to accomplish these goals, and in accordance with the law,  we are also responsible to provide revenue to the City’s general fund and Philadelphia School District.

How these funds are disbursed to the City’s general fund and Philadelphia School District can be confusing and complex to understand. With that said, we aim to explain how these funds are disbursed in the below FAQs:

What PPA Revenue Streams are Allocated for the City’s General Fund and Philadelphia School District?

By law, all of PPA’s on-street operations net revenue is allocated to the City’s general fund and Philadelphia School District.  On-street operations revenue is generated from meter payments, permit fees, parking fines, vehicle auction proceeds and booting and towing fees.

How much of the PPA’s On-Street Revenue is given to the City’s General Fund and Philadelphia School District?

By law, each fiscal year the PPA is responsible to provide all net-revenue from on-street operations to the City’s General Fund and Philadelphia School District. In fiscal year 2017, we provided over forty-five million dollars ($45 million) to the City’s General Fund and Philadelphia School District.

How much of the PPA’s On-Street Revenue is forwarded to the City’s General Fund?

In 2014, the PA General Assembly set an annual minimum threshold of thirty-five million dollars ($35 million) to be disbursed to the City’s general fund. By law, it was also mandated that any percentage increase in gross revenue from on-street operations in a given fiscal year is applied to the total amount given to the City’s general fund.  In Fiscal Year 2017 we contributed $35,350,417 to the City’s general fund.

Explain the  “percentage increase” to me. What is it?

In 2014, the PA General Assembly’s legislation also provided a formula to annually raise the minimum amount of thirty-five million dollars ($35 million) given to the City’s general fund based off the prior year’s increase in gross revenue. That minimum has increased to over thirty-seven million dollars ($37 million) and can never drop, even during a decrease in on-street operations gross revenue due to weather emergencies or other factors.  

In Fiscal Years 2015 -2017, less than thirty-seven million dollars ($37 million) was disbursed to the City’s General Fund. Why?

Beginning in fiscal year 2015, it was agreed that Bureau of Administrative Adjudication (BAA) expenses would be charged to the City (General Fund) so funding to the School District would not be affected.  This resulted in an extra three million dollars ($3 million) being disbursed to the School District between fiscal years 2015 and 2017.

How much of the PPA’s On-Street Revenue is forwarded to the Philadelphia School District?

Also in accordance with the law, after the minimum is disbursed to the City’s general fund, the Philadelphia School District receives the remaining net-revenue generated from on-street parking operations.  In Fiscal Year 2017 we contributed $9,766,043 to the Philadelphia School District. Unlike the City’s general fund, there is no minimum threshold amount disbursed to the Philadelphia School District.

Can the PPA designate how funds are distributed to the City’s General Fund and/or Philadelphia School District?

The Parking Authority has no say in how these funds are distributed.  Mandated by statute according to Act 84, passed by the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 2012, all net revenues from on-street parking operations are disbursed to the City’s general fund and Philadelphia School District.

Is there a breakdown of how the funds were disbursed throughout the past fiscal years?

Yes, the chart below provides a breakdown of how funds were disbursed to the  City’s General Fund and School District between fiscal years 2015 and 2017. Between fiscal years 2015 and 2017, an average of forty-six million dollars ($46 million) was disbursed to the City’s General Fund and Philadelphia School District.

Disclaimer:

The financial figures for Fiscal Year 2017 provided within are unaudited and are subject to change. 

PHOTO CREDITS:

Towey Recreation Center: Malerie Yolen-Cohen 

Throughout each fiscal year, the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) through its multiple departments is responsible by law to provide funding to various government entities. Those government entities include:

• The City of Philadelphia
• The School District of Philadelphia
• The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
• The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• Philadelphia Traffic Court
• Philadelphia’s First Judicial District
• The Department of Interior

In Fiscal Year 2017, the PPA disbursed it’s highest amount yet of one-hundred and fourteen million dollars ($114 million) to these agencies while remaining steadfast in its mission to:

• Provide comprehensive on-street parking management services.
• Set standards of excellence and fair pricing through the construction and management of off-street parking facilities.
• Assist in presenting a first rate introduction to the region by providing attractive, user friendly, on-site parking facilities at the Philadelphia International Airport.
• Ensure safe, attractive, reliable taxicab, limousine and transportation network services through sound regulations and consistent enforcement.
• Improve traffic and pedestrian safety through automated red light camera enforcement at dangerous intersections.
• Apply new technology and continue professional staff development to ensure the highest quality public service and the greatest efficiency in all operations.

With Fiscal Year 2017 behind us, we want to take the time to show how these funds were disbursed among all government entities. Let’s get started:

Payments to the City of Philadelphia:

In Fiscal Year 2017, the PPA disbursed over ninety-one million dollars ($91 million) to the City of Philadelphia from a combination of:

• On-Street Operations Net-Revenue ($37,846,946)
• Airport Operations Net-Revenue ($32,779,542)
• AutoPark at Independence Mall Operations ($1,091,020)
• Philadelphia Parking Tax Payment ($20,348,160)

Payments to the School District of Philadelphia:

By law, the PPA disburses the remaining net-revenue from on-street parking operations after making the required payment to the City’s General Fund. In Fiscal Year 2017, the PPA disbursed over nine million dollars ($9,766,043 to be exact) to the School District of Philadelphia.

Additional information on how this fund disbursement is calculated can be found here.

Payments to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT):

Also in accordance with the law, the PPA disburses all net-revenue from its Red-Light Camera Operations to the Pennsylvania Motor License Fund, which is administered by PennDOT. Fifty percent (50%) of those funds will be returned to the City of Philadelphia through PennDOT’s Automated Red Light Enforcement (ARLE) transportation improvement grants.

Payments to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania:

Each fiscal year, the PPA provides funding to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through a combination of two categories. Those categories are:

• Impounded Vehicle Auction Sales Tax ($285,185)
• Impounded Vehicle Title Fees ($256,714)

In Fiscal Year 2017, the PPA provided over five-hundred and forty thousand dollars ($540,000) to the Commonwealth through auctions sales taxes and vehicle title fees.

Filing Fees to Philadelphia’s First Judicial District:

Before an impounded vehicle is eligible for public auction, the PPA is responsible, by law, to obtain permission from the First Judicial District of Philadelphia to do so. In Fiscal Year 2017, the PPA paid the First Judicial District over sixty-nine thousand dollars ($69,000) in filing fees in order to auction impounded vehicles.

Payments to Philadelphia’s Traffic Court:

After an impounded vehicle is sold at a PPA public auction, the funds collected from the sale are allocated to pay outstanding towing, storage and ticket fees. The remaining funds (if applicable) are provided to the Philadelphia Traffic Court and allocated towards any outstanding moving violations associated with the auctioned vehicle. In Fiscal Year 2017, the PPA provided over one-hundred and seventy-four thousand dollars ($174,000) to the Philadelphia Traffic Court.

Payments to the Department of Interior:

Though the PPA operates the AutoPark at Old City, it is actually owned by the Department of Interior. In this partnership, the PPA provides 36% of its gross revenue generated at the AutoPark at Old City to support Independence National Historic Park. In Fiscal Year 2017, the PPA disbursed over eight-hundred and sixty thousand dollars ($860,000) to the Department of Interior through its ongoing partnership.

A vital component of our obligation to residents and visitors is to provide safe, affordable and convenient off-street parking options in our city.

Recognizing the limited street space available in our neighborhoods, we operate and maintain 43 neighborhood lots throughout the city. Of those 43 lots, 25 are free to both residents and visitors alike. Additionally, we also provide 18 neighborhood lots that charge a nominal daily or monthly fee for parking.

As we strive to provide quality services to the public, there are significant on-going maintenance costs. Lots are kept clear of snow in the winter, clean at all times, well lit, and safe for vehicles and pedestrians alike.

Advertising is one option we have used for over 20 years at these lots to allow us to continue providing this service at little or no cost to the public, while at the same time help off-set the annual cost to maintain the lots.

By law, all revenue generated from off-street parking fees and advertising are not combined with the revenue produced by on-street operations.  Additionally, on-street revenue is directed to the City’s general fund and School District and cannot be used to maintain off-street facilities. This year on-street operations generated over forty-seven million dollars ($47 million) for the City’s general fund and School District.

We hope to continue in our mission to provide safe, affordable and convenient off-street parking options and welcome input from the public.  We invite you to partner with us to craft a solution that will work for your neighborhood and also allow us to provide you with this service in the most cost-effective manner.

We thank you in advance for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.

Please reach out to us on Twitter and Facebook, or directly to our Facilities Director at [email protected]