Free permits: Candidate says he'll spend stipend on parking

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Travis Klein

"I'm going to take the money and buy as many parking permits as I can," he said.

Senators receive a stipend of $1,200 before taxes. Zone 1 parking permits cost $160 for the year.

Klein, who also promised earlier to work for free parking, said he would set up a table on the mall and interview students to choose who will receive the permits.

This latest plan is a modification of an earlier one to accept only enough out of his stipend to pay for his campaign expenditures.

"I didn't run with the intention of getting paid," Klein said. "ASUA claims they don't have any money - well, keep it."

He said he plans to spend $20 total and has spent $8 to date.

"It's a nice thing to do but it's not practical," Associated Students Treasurer Sean Murray said of Klein's earlier pledge. "We can't withhold stipends unless they don't do their jobs. It's part of our constitution and bylaws."

Murray said the budget for ASUA programming and services is separate from that used to pay stipends. If senators wish to bequeath the money to programming and services, they still need to accept the stipend, then give it back as a donation. Murray added that the $1,200 stipend is reduced after chunks are taken out for state taxes. If it is donated back to ASUA, the University of Arizona administration will extract a 10 percent service charge on the donation.

Last year, administrative vice-presidential candidate Eric Clingan also said he would give up his stipend if elected and offer the money to the Escort Service. The administrative vice president's stipend is $3,500.

Klein also extended an invitation via e-mail to all Senate candidates, asking them to join him on his 50-minute AccessTucson cable TV show Sunday. At the reply deadline Wednesday, only David Snyder, a general biology and political science senior, had accepted the offer.

Senate candidates Emily Dunn, a marketing and finance junior, Brett Suma, an agriculture and resource economics freshman, Josué Limón, a political science and Mexican American studies senior, Ben Lopez, a political science junior and Eric Hochstatter, a political science freshman, declined participation in the forum because they would be out of town or had prior engagements.