Sick of Parking Citations

           Even though frustrations about parking violations are popular among Cal State University Long Beach students, the majority pay their fines on time. Since January 2011, CSULB has acquired the amount of $300,000 from unpaid parking violations. The student government on campus is working to amend the parking policies; making the process more efficient and beneficial. 

            Associate Student Inc. Vice President Jonathon Bolin proposed an idea that has been gaining support from students and faculty. The basic idea is that if you get a parking violation and you don’t have a valid permit visible, the only way you could absolve the ticket is with the purchase of a semester permit. This has to occur within seven days of receiving the parking ticket. You cannot reverse the ticket if you already have a semester permit or buy a $5 daily pass.

            “This would promote the purchase of $123, which would be more funding for the school. It is almost triples the revenue that a parking ticket would bring in.” stated Bolin.

            Talia Fuentes, a freshman at CSULB, thinks the school should eliminate $5 daily parking passes entirely. 

            “For sure there is a parking problem at our school. Take those random lots by the dorms and create parking structures not water fountains,” Fuentes suggested as a solution.  

            When asked if there is adequate amount of parking spaces for students, Mark Rudometkin, general manager of parking and transportation at CSULB answered “Right now there is enough space, enforcement is done to provide consistency of the space availability and to uphold the integrity of the policies and regulations at school.” He also added his thoughts on permits, “Semester permits are the best value if you attend school at least twice a week.”

            The only factor delaying Bolin’s plan is that there is still some research about where the revenue goes and how it is redistributed.

            “Right now we want to make sure a department won’t lose funding that might be helping students through other programs,” said Bolin.  If all the research works in favor of his proposed policy then he predicts it will take effect by fall 2012 semester.

            However, the newly proposed idea does not address the $300,000 in fines that are unpaid at CSULB. Even though 35 percent risk the penalty of late ticket fees, Bolin says that this percentage could drastically decrease if his plan is passed.  

            If students have any suggestions about making the campus more resourceful, Bolin is urging them to attend the ASI senate meetings this summer. The senate meets in the USU/Senate Chambers every Wednesday at 3 p.m.