Those unsatisfied with the parking situation at the University shouldn’t get mad about the prices of permits, tickets and meters — just consider them “gifts” to the University’s parking and transportation program.
Parking permit sales are expected to bring in an estimated $746,592 in 2001-02, according to Rand Stamm, manager of parking and transportation for the Department of Public Safety. Revenues from meters are expected to be about $270,000, and citations are expected to bring in $360,000.
Junior Austin Jones summed up his feelings for parking and associated costs on campus with two words: “That blows.”
Campus administration disagrees. The total income — an estimated $1.38 million — is good news for parking on campus, according to Associate Director of Public Safety Tom Hicks. Because state law mandates that parking and transportation at the University must be self-supporting, all revenues generated from permit sales, parking meters and citations are used to fund the program. Hicks said the revenue pays the salaries of DPS parking enforcement officers and other parking related expenditures such as maintenance, repair and bond payments on existing parking lots, city and county fees, and the faculty portion of the Lane County Transit District Ridership program.
At the end of each academic year, surplus revenue goes into the parking reserve fund, which is earmarked for parking improvements and additions. The total surplus for 2000-01 was $127,000, which brings the total amount in the reserve fund to around $718,000, Hicks said.
“We keep that money in reserve for opportunities to buy property or emergency expenditures,” he said. He added that one long-term plan for the money is to help pay for a parking structure on or near campus — although he was quick to point out that decision is still far from finalized.
“Parking is part of the University of Oregon and needs to blend and fit with the University,” Hicks said. “For us to just say we’re going to build a parking structure is not realistic.”
Parking has been a contentious issue on campus for years. A full-year parking permit costs $85 for students and $150 for faculty and staff. It costs an additional $427 to reserve a space from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and $515 to reserve a space at all times — except for people with disabilities, who can reserve spaces for free when they purchase a permit. Some consider these rates exorbitant given the fact that DPS sells about 6,000 permits per year for 3,200 spaces.
The hooded parking meters have further exacerbated the problem for many people. Permits allow parking at certain meters without paying, but during games and events at McArthur Court the meters on University Street are covered with colored hoods reading “no parking.”
Hicks said that DPS hoods the meters the night before an event, but the spaces are open to parking until 4 p.m. the day of the event.
“The hoods have lettering with the hours for parking,” Hicks said. “Spots do get filled, but usually there are very few left by game time. We tow maybe one car every other game.”
Jones, a Spanish major, said he has never purchased a University parking permit and would never consider doing so. Since he lives near campus, Jones said he usually walks to campus and buys a $15 area parking permit from the City of Eugene each year. This allows him to park on city streets near his home beyond posted hours.
But many who don’t live on or near campus continue to buy parking permits, pump quarters into parking meters or rack up parking citations. According to Hicks, nearly 70 percent of all citations are issued for exceeding time at a parking meter or failing to obtain or display a permit. The cost of exceeding time at a meter is $15 and the cost of failing to display or purchase a permit is $20. The citation for parking in a restricted lot is $25.
As of Oct. 30, DPS had sold 5,170 parking permits, and Stamm said it’s likely that more will be sold by the end of the school year. Parking enforcement officers have issued 8,816 parking citations so far in 2001-02, and Stamm said he expects that number to increase as well.
“That’s not out of the ordinary,” he said, adding that while the numbers vary from year to year, DPS typically issues “between 23,000 and 40,000 citations per year.”
E-mail higher education editor Leon Tovey at [email protected].