We've been fighting with the local church, which owns a majority of the "public" parking in town, and chose earlier this year's to make their large central lot paid parking year round, except on Sundays where it is member only parking.
This is one of those activities that is designed to sound beignin. They own the lot, it should be their right to charge, right?
Except that our small downtown area was built around this lot, which has been used as public parking for the community for 50 years. No local businesses have dedicated parking, there is very little street parking. The local municipal government never bothered to implement it because there was a huge "public" lot in the middle of town.