Each day, Joseph Regina — with clipboard and pen in hand — goes out into Westchester Square to take the day’s "body count."

He counts the number of cars from city and federal agencies that are either parked illegally or have government parking exemptions, taking away metered spaces for desperately needed customer parking.

Regina, secretary/treasurer of the Association of Merchants and Business Professionals of Westchester Square, then calculates a total and sends out an e-mail with the day’s “tragic figure” to various city officials.

The merchants’ group hopes the daily numbers may convince the city that something finally has to be done.

Parking enforcement agents’ private vehicles, as well as official vehicles from the city Department of Transportation, the Post Office and armed services recruiting centers, continue to take spaces — to the dismay of local merchants who say they are fighting for their financial lives.

[more at: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/bronx/2009/06/02/2009-06-02_washington_square_merchants_rally_cry_no_spots_means_no_business_.html]