I am writing concering the lack of hanidcapped permit parking in downtown New London.

Recently I was able to locate 18 posted handicapped parking spaces. Fifteen of these were in front of churches. Only three were in the business and restaurant areas. At that time, the parking spaces in front of Dev's On Bank was occupied by a vehicle with no handicapped parking tag.

As a property owner in New London I am aware of how important the revitalization of the downtown is to the city.

With the general population living longer, there are more people who have medical issues that require special needs and accommodations.

There are some very good attractions in the downtown area. The Garde Arts Center, fine dining, retail sales, museums and the arts could all benefit from making the area more user-friendly for the physically challenged.

Stepped-up handicapped parking enforcement by New London Police issuing tickets could result in added revenue for the city as well as enhancing the downtown experience for patrons of the city who have special needs.

New London needs to examine this deficiency and take some positive action.