Spring semester brought us more parking spaces, but also higher-priced daily parking permits.

On Jan. 29, the price of a daily parking permit went from being $2.75 to $5 to help pay for Parking Structure II and Parking Structure III. The fee increase was recommend by University Transportation and Parking Services and the increase was approved and put into action and will last for at least 30 years, UTAPS Director Nancy Fox said.

“The parking fee will need to be reviewed at the end of the 30 year debt service?It’s difficult to predict what the financial needs will be in 30 years, however, parking operation and maintenance costs increase each year,” Fox said.

“The parking fund is currently paying debt service on Parking Structure II and III,” Fox said.

The building of Parking Structure III cost more than $40 million and there is a 30-year debt service for the structure.

Students and faculty were notified of the increase in daily parking permits through their SacLink e-mail accounts the week before school started. In the e-mail, the new daily parking permit price was listed along with the date it would be effective. Information about the new parking structure being opened and other parking lot changes were included as well.

“It’s ludicrous, it’s so expensive. In a way they are forcing you to buy a (semester) parking permit,” said Tobe Darnouvong, graphic design major.

Criminal justice major Erika Maldonado said she’s stopped parking on campus. “I park across the street,” Maldonado said.

Daily parking permits can only be purchased from the machines by using $1 or $5 bills or silver coins. The daily permits are valid in student parking lots anytime, but the daily parking permits are not valid in Parking Structure II or III. Student parking permits are required to park in the structures.

“I’m glad I walk to school now, because I probably couldn’t afford parking,” said Vanessa Bovee, a communication studies major.

At this time there are no other parking pass increases scheduled and the $5 parking pass fee will be here a while.

In a survey of daily parking permit fees at other CSU campuses, UTAPS found that most of the campuses already have a fee of $5 for their daily parking permits. UC Davis, for comparison, has a $6 daily parking permit fee.

UTAPS does not have any data on the amount of permits purchased since the increase. “We don’t have those numbers yet, but by the end of the semester we should be able to tell,” said Freddy Orozco, UTAPS assistant director.

Danielle Sazio can be reached at [email protected]