Editor:
I haven't been a student at the university for 13 years so I don't know how discussed this issue is, but it seems to me that the student body is being run through the wringer on parking.
I live on Park Avenue, about three blocks south of the farthest southwest university class building. Last year students were parking as far south as my house. This year they are parking another block and a half south. Parking now extends to one block north of Broadway. The cars cram both sides of the alley nearby and poke between trees lining into the arroyo. I see students dragging bicycles out of their cars or taking off at a run after parking.
Yet closer and on all four sides of UA, I see miles of the empty curb marked "residential parking." These streets often have no residential parking on them because the homes all have driveways.
The whole arrangement is absurd, manipulating, cruel and getting worse every year. Students are made to spend hours a week hunting for parking and then walking past empty curb space. Follow the money. It is obvious to me that those in government who created this situation are motivated to give the university the market advantage they need to change an amazing price for parking on campus. It also gives police opportunity to write more parking tickets. The neighborhood associations who probably prompted residential parking would be happy with painted curb space sufficient for residents.
The abuse is blatant, calculable and affects thousands of people. Its solution is also obvious. The UA students should make a big noise on this.
Jeannette Jaquish