Other side heard from in parking dispute

I’m writing this letter in response to Susan Mulligan’s "Your Turn" guest column ("Parking Issues Cause Loss of Faith") that appeared in your Sept. 11 issue.

Ms. Mulligan, the old saying is true: There are two sides to every story. I was born and raised here in Sayreville, spent eight years as a volunteer firefighter, four years as a U.S. Marine. So when you asked did we cry on 9/11, the answer is yes. I lost a family member that day. You wouldn’t understand the dedication I have to this country and town unless you’ve walked in my shoes.

You bring up the issue of being a taxpayer in this town, and you think that gives you the right to park anywhere you wish. Well guess what? I pay taxes too. It goes to the same town, same police and same public works. It just so happens that I don’t have the same work schedule as you, which leaves me home during the day staring at your car, as you put it, for 11 hours a day.

I was brought up to respect my neighbors and to treat everyone with respect, but there’s something that just doesn’t sit well with me on this issue. Maybe it’s me, but there is no way I would take my car and park it in front of someone else’s home, five days a week, 11 hours a day, and think it’s OK. Let me tell you, it’s an inconvenience for us. This doesn’t affect many people as far as I know, but those of us who have to live through it are not happy.

A Borough Council member told me they are working on a commuter parking lot, but I don’t think that is the answer. I do believe the parking will still persist. I guess in order to alleviate the problem, they’d have to move the bus stop, and that will punish the people who live here and walk to the bus stop by making them drive to a lot.

Look at the towns around us. Nowhere else can you just park and leave your car all day without getting towed or ticketed. Does that make those towns unpatriotic? I think that it shows they care about residents’ quality of life.

I guess every time you notice a scratch on your car, it can only have come from one place. The worst thing I ever did was put a note on a car asking the commuter not to park here because this is a residential neighborhood. I got back nasty attitudes and threatening letters. There have been times when cars have been here for four-five days without moving. Business trip? Maybe. Or maybe it’s knowing that nothing will be done, and it’s a lot cheaper than the airport park-and-ride.

I hope the right person will read these letters and come up with a quick solution that makes everyone happy because right now I’m miserable.

Michael McArdle

Sayreville.