Letters

October 20, 2008 by Maureen Toulouse 

Keep parking rates from climbing

Parking at UNLV is a concern that we just can’t talk enough about. The recurring moans and groans heard throughout halls and classes and our very own newspaper are getting old, or maybe not.

Every semester it seems as though something new is going on with parking; more meters, increased fees, along with increased parking fines. When it comes to new surprises like these, people have much to say, and it’s rarely good.

It might be difficult for people to understand the surprise parking citation they find waiting for them has been raised to $20. To some it may be difficult to understand that it now costs a dollar to park for one hour instead of 75 cents.

Little surprises like these unite students and faculty to hound on this evil organization called Parking Services.

Yes, UNLV does have some of the cheapest parking rates in the west at $115 a year. We’re even cheaper than UNR’s annual rate, which ranges from $200 to $375. But how do we know that this won’t go up next semester? It probably will since UNLV has established a new policy to raise the fees by 10% each year. Have we reached the tipping point yet?

Most students would say yes we have. Parking Services would say that other places are almost triple to what the cost of a permit is here, like this will shut us up. Well, we don’t want to shut up because fees and fines are going up and there is nothing to show for it, besides less parking.

When enrollment is up, the volume of vehicles will go up and Parking Services needs to think about where all these cars will park to sustain an organized system of getting vehicles in and out.

Some students choose not to purchase a permit and risk beating the odds of those pesky parking enforcers finding them. Some will also park in the free lot, which is the farthest known parking lot on campus and the smallest, too.

Some students just can’t afford to pay to park. Slapping the fees and fines on the backs of students and faculty is simply another way of taxing people in an institution whose purpose is education.

I say that the tipping point is long past due. Who cares if we have the cheapest rates? This isn’t the reason why students decide to enroll here.

Increased fees need to stop now. If they don’t stop now, they’ll find a way to creep up on you when you find yourself five minutes past your parking meter.

Stop the parking socialists.