There's a golden opportunity in the D.C. government's plan to demolish the soon-to-be-replaced Washington Convention Center at Ninth and H streets NW. Williams administration officials said recently that they plan to use at least part of the city-owned land, near three Metrorail lines, as a surface parking lot while seeking a developer for the two-block site.

We urge the mayor to take that plan for downtown parking one step further: Retain the land and build the city's first downtown municipal parking garage.

A municipal garage downtown, offering short-term rather than monthly parking, would help resolve a number of vexing problems in the District:

• It would give the D.C. government a new, steady stream of income that would draw millions of dollars annually from residents, commuters and tourists.

• It would help downtown businesses compete with suburban shopping malls for shoppers and diners.

• It would help attract more retail businesses to downtown D.C. by providing the parking their customers need.

Congress should act now to repeal its ludicrous prohibition against a downtown municipal parking garage. Their well-heeled campaign contributors won't suffer.

Copyright 2003, The Common Denominator