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Brian Wallheimer
Editor in Chief

The Alestle could always use a little bit more money, so I thought we should start charging for the paper from now on.

I'm kidding of course, but raising prices seems to be the thing to do lately. One obvious case is the rise in parking fines that will be implemented in the fall.

Director of Administrative Services Robert Vanzo said the fine increase would raise needed funds. But I'm confused because I thought the rise in fines was so students would be discouraged from getting more tickets. That's what Vanzo and Carolyn Turner, manager of Campus Parking, said last week.

So, which is it? Both, I guess. The $5 hike in parking fines will keep students from getting more tickets. You see, students won't want to get a ticket since the price will be so high. That's what I'm told anyway. In the meantime, an increase will give Campus Parking more money.

But I am confused again. It seems to me that if students are getting fewer tickets, Campus Parking will not get more money. Obviously fewer tickets generate less revenue.

I have a feeling one of the two reasonings behind raising the parking fines is true.

A rise in parking fines

will put more money into the Campus Parking fund, but I have serious doubts about students getting fewer tickets.

While a $5 increase might break some students, I don't think it will cause students to stop getting tickets.

Last year almost 41,000 parking tickets were issued on campus. The $5 increase will add $205,000 to Campus Parking if the same number of tickets were issued.

Vanzo said the extra money will go to pay off bonds that were sold to pay for repairs to roads and parking lots. But parking sticker prices went up to pay off those bonds years ago. So why would increased fines be needed to help pay off bonds? I can't answer that question myself. I was hoping that someone could.

I have heard so many students complaining about fines going up. I can't personally do anything about it but ask questions too. Don't stop coming to me with your questions and concerns, but maybe you should go to the source and ask the questions. Call Turner at 650-3680 or Vanzo at 650-2536.

Maybe they could clarify a very confusing situation.