Editor:
I'm confused why Santa Monica's parking meters overcharge. For example, if the meter is a 3-hour limit meter and there is only one hour left in the time frame the meter charges, the meter will still take the full amount if you don't reduce the charge. I was recently in San Francisco and the meters are smart enough to know how much time there is left until the end of the time period where they will charge and you can not pay any more than is required for that time period. The city (or someone else) is unfairly benefiting from all those folks that don't want to calculate how much time they have to put on the meter if they are close to the time where you don't have to pump the meter.
Jeff Peak
Santa Monica
