Free parking? At what cost?
There ain't no such thing as a free (parking) space. The city of Albuquerque has "graciously" made parking free in some parts of the city. While it may seem nice, it is a trick.
The city is only doing this because the politicians believe they can get more money from you in the long run if you feel good about the free parking and buy things they can tax.
If the city really owns the streets (a debate I've covered before), then they would have the authority to charge for parking along those streets. However, the city never has any legitimate authority to tax your purchases and force the stores to be their "Sheriff of Nottingham" for them.
Don't be fooled, and adjust your behavior accordingly.
*
Donate?
