Ald. Robert Fioretti, 2nd, contended aldermen don't have enough information about the finances of the new meter plan. He asked his colleagues to remember the bad parking meter deal they passed under then-Mayor Richard M. Daley with too little information a few years ago.



"Do any of us remember 2008? Did we not learn anything?" Fioretti asked.



Fioretti criticized officials from Chicago Parking Meters for not coming to any City Council hearings on the new plan. "You can hear the crickets. It's like deja vu all over again," he said.



Fioretti wondered whether by agreeing to these changes, the city would preclude itself from possibly tearing up the meter contract entirely in the future, though that would be difficult given that nearly all of the upfront money the city got already has been spent.



"Some lemons shouldn't be made into lemonade," Fioretti said, a reference to Emanuel's oft-repeated defense of his proposed change. "Some lemons should be returned to the store for a refund."



But Ald. Jason Ervin, 28th, said it's shortsighted for aldermen wary of the free Sundays clause to turn down a chance to reduce the true-up money owed to CPM.



"That's tantamount to tripping over $100 bills to pick up nickels," Ervin said.