Raising more revenue

What if instead of driving around and around, you had a golden ticket and could pull into your very own personal parking space?

The administration should implement a gold parking pass system and offer them to students for $54, that’s double the current price for preferred parking, guaranteeing parking in Lot 1 for the first 4 weeks.

This would raise additional revenue and alleviate parking problems.

Currently students have three options when it comes to parking during the fall semester.

They can park off campus for free and walk to class, pay $20 for general parking which allows students to park in Lots 2, 4 and the dirt parking, or purchase preferred parking for $27 which grants access to any of the parking lots on campus. (Minus staff lots)

These pass prices vary slightly around the community college district.

LA Trade Technical College has a few options when it comes to parking. There is preferred parking for $27, or general parking for $20, plus a $15 refundable deposit for an access key card.

LA City College students pay a $27 fee per semester for preferred parking, and also receive free photocopying, Blue Books, Scantrons, access to computers with internet, student representation, and sponsorship of college activities, according to the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) website.

The restricted parking is $20 and only gives students access to one lot.

Another campus that offers perks when purchasing preferred parking is East LA College where students receive bookstore discounts, and other discounts at local establishments.

However, there are no extra perks at West LA College, Mission College, LA Southwest College, or Valley College, but their passes are only $20.

The cost for parking is even greater outside of the LACCD.

Students at Santa Monica College pay $85 to park their cars on campus.

Also, the faculty here at Pierce currently do not pay for parking, nor do the few remaining student workers. This could be revenue that could be allocated in the midst of these hard times.

If the administration were to create a gold system, full time students who have maintained a 3.0 GPA for one or more consecutive semesters would be eligible to purchase the limited pass for $54.

There are 260 spots available in Lot 1, not including staff, sheriffs, 30-minute guest parking, handicap, and motorcycle parking.

Each one of the 260 spots would be numbered and assigned. Students would be emailed before the semester begins, informing them that they qualify for the gold system, and passes would be sold at a first come first serve basis, and a waiting list would be created for students who remain interested in the program.

Those who desire to maintain the parking spot will be able to pay an additional $54 for the next four weeks and so on and so forth, or buy a full semester for only $162.

If a student did not wish to continue with the gold system, a preferred parking pass would be assigned to them when the gold system pass was returned to the business office.

The next student on the waiting list would be contacted and assigned the spot, with their original $27 parking fee being credited toward their gold pass.

The college would benefit from and additional $35,100 profit should they decide on undertaking the project. The only expense that is for seeable to the college would be numbering the parking spots and the specialized parking passes.

According to the ASO Budget 2012-2013 Encumbrance Report the parking lot lease is $1,000, after this expense. An estimated cost of $2,000 for painting spaces and producing passes would leave the college looking at a profit of $32,100. This money can be distributed to various clubs and departments in a time of great need.