UA raises parking ticket fines

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Marlis Davis, Director of Parking and Transportation Services

Marlis Davis, dir-ector of Parking and Transportation Ser-vices, said the Uni-versity of Arizona had not raised ticket prices in about seven years.

"The reason we raised them is to be more up with other university prices," Davis said.

UA parking-citation fines in August jumped from $20 to $25. The City of Tucson is soon expected to make a similar move and increase fees by $10 to meet the UA's price.

Parking citations at Arizona State University can cost up to $50 for neglecting to present a permit in designated lots, but range as low as $10 for meter violations.

Parking and Transportation Services has also started to crack down on people with outstanding tickets. During fiscal year 1997-98, the department collected more than $805,000 in fines compared to $568,000 last year.

Davis said the collection rate increased from 52 percent in 1996-97 to 68 percent this year.

"Before we established the collection section this summer, the process was much slower," Davis said. "We send letters on a weekly basis now, so students and faculty get into the encumbering mode sooner."

The Bursar's Office also made it easier for students to pay fines by reminding them more often. Instead of billing students twice a year, they have stepped collections up to once a month.

Citation collections amount to 13 percent of the department's budget - its smallest source of income. Parking permit sales generate the most money.

Davis said all money Parking and Transportation receives is important since the department is not funded by the university. Parking pass sales, special event paid parking, and citations also generate revenue used to pay for services such as CatTran and bus pass subsidies.

"All of our income is self-supporting, which is good for the university," Davis said. "The (university) money can be spent on other important areas."

Anyone slapped with a ticket can appeal to a parking officer.

Davis said parking officials are "pretty lenient" on students who attempt to appeal their citations.

"We're more likely to dismiss the citations since students are here for an education," Davis said. "We know students make mistakes, such as not putting up their parking permits."

Of the 51,571 tickets issued last year, 19,000 were appealed.

"We just hope they don't do it again," Davis said.

Some UA students did not approve of the increase.

"I think that's messed up because there is no parking on campus, and sometimes you get held up by class," business freshman Robin Crosely said. "If the meter lasts only one hour, then you have to pay. It makes me mad."

Kristin Beatty, a business management freshman, said, "It doesn't really affect me because I pay $375 to park in the garage; however, it's still really high."

Irene Hsiao can be reached via e-mail at Irene.Hsiao@wildcat.arizona.edu.