He's not thrilled, but rookie councilor Charlie Hodge has voted with the rest of his city council colleagues to approve pay-parking for one side of a block of St. Paul Street.

Hodge was incensed that five ticket-spitting machines are going to cost $9,000 apiece.

He was told that's what high-tech paid parking costs these days and the city can't use the old-style meters in any new applications because maintenance and replacement parts are now an issue.

From the city's parking reserve, more than $47,000 will be paid to put the ticket machines on the east side of St. Paul, between Doyle and Cawston Avenues.

The west side of the block will also get paid parking later, as more urbanization takes place.

Merchants have complained their customers can't park, because people are monopolizing the free two hour parking.

The new ticket-spitters should be in place early in the new year.