Student parking fees will increase by more than $20 next semester according to a Sacramento State administrator at the Parking Forum last Thursday.

Edward Del Biaggio, Vice President for Administration, said that student parking permit fees are scheduled to increase from $63 to $85.50 by fall 2002 because of a lack of funds for new parking facilities and a deficit in parking spaces.

“We need to move toward a parking fee increase now,” Del Biaggio said. “Then we will look toward a 3,000 space parking structure.”

Del Biaggio said the administration will assess what can be done to assist students subjected to the fee increase.

He said that President Donald Gerth?s authority is limited to raising parking fees for students. Both the California Faculty Association and the California State Employees Association, the unions that represent faculty and staff, refused a proposal to increase their permit fees.

Ronald Grant, Director of Support Services, said that he has not yet seen the plans for a parking fee increase in writing and he has not made preparations for the adjustment.

“It?s more principle than anything else, something has to be done,” Grant said.

Another increase to $108 takes effect in July 2003 and a third bump to $130.50 in July 2004.

Senior Maria Wong said that more money should be spent on alternative transportation.

The parking forum, which was attended by few, if any, students was hosted by University Transportation and Parking Services and Administration and Parking Affairs to discuss plans for the future of parking on campus.

Grant discussed the fact that parking spaces on campus are not increasing as quickly as the number of students enrolled at Sac State. He said that there are currently a total of 9,701 parking spaces and 14,000 students in class during morning peak hours.

He said that one thing that can be done is to increase the number of spaces.

Both Grant and Del Biaggio discussed plans to build a 3,000 space Mega Parking Structure III, or two separate parking structures containing 1,800 spaces each. Parking Structure I has space for nearly 1,800 vehicles.

Grant said that current permit fees are not enough to cover the needed funds, and the only other alternatives to a fee increase may be to limit parking permit sales or to put more efforts toward alternative transportation to help improve upon the lack of parking spaces on campus.

Send comments, questions, or concerns to [email protected]

For questions or information regarding thesite, please contact [email protected]