Last night the city council authorized the construction of a new parking garage on Middlesex Street to help stimulate economic development in the Jackson-Appleton-Middlesex Street area. Unlike all of the other city garages that were built primarily with state or federal funds, the city will pay the entire $22 million dollar bill for this parking facility. That money will be raised through bond sales, but the money needed to repay the bonds - about $2 million per year - will be added to the city budget competing with public safety and education for your tax dollars (and increased parking fees).