[rurp]

The would expect developers to be driven mainly by the fact that constructing buildings for businesses and residences is much more profitable than building adequate parking. I'm not saying the current system is ideal, but leaving it up to developers, a group highly motivated by short term profits, will likely create as many problems as it solves.

[MarkSweep]

There are places I avoid going due to inadequate parking. I assume business would take that into account when deciding where to lease space. Why does the government have to be involved with this?

To answer my own question, I think the externalities of insufficient parking space is something government could address. Like by allowing much stricter enforcement of parking prohibitions. Or just outright not allowing street side parking. Like governments don’t typically provide free houses to people, why should they give free house to personal vehicles? Why should my take dollars go to pay for storage of other people’s personal al property?