Starting in April, people visiting Jim Thorpe on weekends could pay more to park in the county-owned parking lot.

The Carbon County Commissioners are considering increased prices for parking in all of its lots in downtown Jim Thorpe.

The commissioners have proposed a rate of $10 for all weekends April-December. The rest of the year the cost would go up to $6 per day.

Right now, the county charges $10 per day only on special event weekends like the Fall Foliage Festival. All other weekends are $6 per day. The rate during the week is $5 per day.

“We just think $10 is a fair price for weekends to park all day,” said Commissioner William O’Gurek. “Go to other tourists towns and see what they charge, it’s a lot more than $10.”

The last time the county increased the cost to park in the parking lot to $10, in 2013, merchants spoke out against it. They agreed to the current system where visitors only had to pay $10 on special event weekends.

Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard said the price is favorable when you compare it to the cost to park in New York City, which can be $45-50.

“I think our prices are reasonable. We feel for the merchants, but you have to look at the overall picture,” Gerhard said.

The county has only raised real estate taxes one time in the last 17 years.

This year as they attempted to pass a balanced budget with no tax increase, they looked at revenue sources that would not burden county residents — raising rates at Mauch Chunk Lake Park and the parking lot.

O’Gurek also pointed out that it costs the county to provide parking in Jim Thorpe, and the increased rate will help cover the cost of lighting, line painting, and the eventual repaving of the lot.

“We don’t think it’s an undue hardship on our residents, but it is what it is if they want to park there on weekends,” O’Gurek said.

The commissioners have also proposed increasing the costs to park in the metered lots on Lehigh Avenue, 76 Susquehanna St. and the Old Mauch Chunk Train Station. It will now cost $1 per hour to park, up from $. 50.

The cost for weekly rentals are also set to go up to $30 from $25, and $45 for those who rent on the weekend.