I was having a difficult time finding my "Happy Place" in Baltimore on Monday. Wanting to park my car for more than two hours in the Mount Vernon area while I attended a meeting there, I found a metered spot on nearby Hamilton Street, which has 4-hour meters, but is not a main thoroughfare.

The nearby parking lot was full.

After attending the meeting and going to lunch with a friend, I returned to my car to find that the driver's side window had been smashed in and concealed coins and a pair of sunglasses I had left in the car were gone. The Baltimore City police officer who responded to my call was professional and concerned. However, he indicated that this was not an unusual occurrence.

Raising parking fees and limiting parking time near Baltimore attractions is not the way to help anyone find a happy place in the city.

Marian E. Altoz, Catonsville