UCSB Drives Up Parking Fees in Effort to Bring In More Revenue
http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/092412_ucsb_raises_parking_fees/
By Patrick Kulp, Noozhawk Intern | @NoozhawkNews
Transportation and Parking Services also implements changes to the categories for long-term passes
UCSB Transportation and Parking Services recently raised its monthly rate for long-term parking on campus from $36 to $37.50, and night and weekend parking fees from $3 to $4 and $12 to $16 monthly.
The Parking Ratepayers Board made the decision to implement the hikes in May 2011 in an effort to bring in more revenue for TPS, which has fallen short of its budgetary requirements for the past couple of years.
TPS Interim Director Robert Silsbee said the changes were meant to be put in a place in July 2011, but TPS decided to take extra time to consult various campus organizations and as a result, the changes were delayed a year.
Along with raising the fees, TPS also changed the names of the categories of long-term passes from “faculty,” “staff” and “student” to simply “A,” “B” and “C” passes. Each category denotes a different set of on-campus lots that the holder is allowed to use, but all three are identical in price.
Silsbee said the board originally voted to institute a tiered system of fees in which each type of pass would cost a different amount according to its location, but later scrapped the plan after consulting with campus groups such as the Academic Business Officers Group, the Academic Senate and the Chancellor’s Staff Advisory Council last fall.
The Parking Ratepayers Board is made up of nine members — three representatives each of students, staff and faculty members — who make decisions concerning parking fees, additional parking facilities and allocation of funds.
While there are no plans in place for further increases, Silsbee said the fees should be raised by about a dollar each year in order to keep up with inflation, and TPS continues to face financial difficulties.
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http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/092412_ucsb_raises_parking_fees/