LETTER: Parking clarified

Editor,

In recent letters to the editor, issues have been discussed about funding for the parking department. It has been alluded that Parking receives funding from the state for its operations. In the Jan. 29 issue, Mr. Lamb wrote, “The money that keeps your lights on and the parking department in business comes mostly from the State Legislature.”

The parking department is, by law, self-funded and receives no money from the Legislature. All crack sealing, striping, access gate maintenance, snow removal, salaries and benefits must be paid for by parking funds.

The primary source of funds for parking services comes from parking permit sales and the collection of parking citation fines, which Mr. Richards suggested in his Jan. 31 letter. Since parking services is self-funded, the revenue is returned to the campus community.

Mr. Richards further suggests that we build more parking terraces. We plan to build a parking structure within the next six years. However, parking terraces are not cheap. Each space costs approximately $10,000, which means our 300-stall parking structure will cost $3,000,000. Again, since the state does not fund parking structures, the department must generate this funding itself.

We value your input and feedback. For further information, contact the Parking and Transportation Office at 797-3414 or visit our Web site at www.usu.edu/parking.

Lisa Leishman, director

USU Parking and Transportation