There are dozens, sometimes hundreds of empty parking spaces each day in the new $13 million parking garage across Don Gaspar Avenue from the Roundhouse. And some state employees — who in past years parked for free in a surface lot where the new garage was constructed — say they should be allowed to park there for free.

"They want $8 a day," said Robin Gould, president of the local Communication Workers of America union, which represents workers in some state agencies. She pointed out that would cost about $160 a month. "Who can afford that?" she said.

About a dozen state employees who work in buildings near the Capitol met with reporters Friday. Some carried signs reading "Furloughed Employees Now Forced to Pay For Parking," and "Make Lobbyist (sic) Pay For Parking Not Employees."

The reference to furloughs refers to the fact that state workers are required to take five unpaid days off a year to help deal with the state budget crunch.

As for the other sign, Legislative Council Service director Paula Tackett told a reporter that no lobbyist gets free parking in the parking structure.

Tackett said she has received many complaints about the parking from state workers since the session began last month. She has told state workers that, while she shares their frustration, the new garage does not have enough spaces to guarantee a free parking place for every state employee who needs one. But once the session ends Feb. 18, there should be no problem in meeting the parking needs of the state employees and the public, she said.

On Friday afternoon, the entire rooftop level of the structure was almost completely empty. On the level immediately below, there were several empty spaces. Tackett said that on Friday she counted 75 empty spaces. But last week, she said, she counted about 200 empty spaces in the garage.

Tackett said the problems with parking spaces could lead to new policies for future sessions.

"After the session the Legislative Council has to have a serious discussion" about parking policies, Tackett said. "This has been a pilot session for the parking facility."

The Legislature voted to build the nearly 600-space garage because of complaints from the public about problems finding parking during the legislative session.

During the session, there are 250 spaces available to the public for the price of $1 an hour, or an $8 per day maximum. Members of the public are allowed to purchase a reserved space for $360 a month — though Tackett said very few people have paid for that right.

The state makes about $600 a day from hourly parking fees, Tackett said.

Of the remaining 337 spaces, 120 are reserved for temporary legislative staff. The other 227 spaces were provided free to employees of state agencies in nearby buildings. Tackett said it was up to individual Cabinet secretaries or agency heads to decide how those spaces were distributed.

Some workers interviewed said most of these spaces were given to exempt employees or those deemed "essential." Michelle Lewis, vice president of the local CWA, said the Public Education Department, raffled off half of the 44 spaces it was allotted.

In addition to the parking structure, there is an adjacent surface lot with about 60 spaces available to state workers. This is where the Coughlin Building on Capitol Avenue once stood. It was demolished for construction of the garage. But employees interviewed said this lot tends to fill up by 7 a.m.

Those who don't get spaces there are forced to look for metered spaces — or to pay the $8 to park in the garage.

Contact Steve Terrell at 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com. Read his political blog at roundhouseroundup.com.