Issue Date: 4/9/07
Maintenance of college's lots one reason for possible permit cost rise
By Jason Dunn
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Proposed increases in the cost of parking permits and parking fines would pay for maintenance to Palomar's parking lots, Police Chief Tom Plotts said.
"If we put it off, the constant wear and tear may involve additional maintenance," he said.
He added that the cost of such maintenance might increase in the future.
The revenue from increases would also pay for emergency telephones in parking lots and more police officers, Plotts said.
The police department is proposing raising the price of parking permits from $35 to $40 as well as increasing fines for various parking offenses.
Plotts said if the proposals become policy, they would probably not take effect until the Spring 2008 semester.
Plotts said that the proposal is in the preliminary stages of the college's shared governance structure, and that there will have to be more discussion from various campus groups.
He said the Campus Police Committee voted unanimously for the increases.
From there, the proposals must go through the Student Services Planning Council, then the Strategic Planning Council, then Palomar's governing board.
"At any time in this process it could be killed," Plotts said.
Plotts said the revenue from the increases would not nearly come close to covering the total cost of the maintenance the parking lots require, and that the remainder would have to come from Palomar's general fund.
"We are estimating the increase will only be about $158,000 per year," Plotts said.
He said Facilities Director Mike Ellis gave an estimate to the police department that the total cost would be about $3.5 million, a figure Plotts said he wasn't certain of.
Ellis refused a request for an interview.
Plotts said the law requires funds generated from parking permits and parking fines to pay for parking lot maintenance.
Plotts said the increased revenue would also pay for new phones in the parking lots to connect people directly with the police department
"If we put it off, the constant wear and tear may involve additional maintenance," he said.
He added that the cost of such maintenance might increase in the future.
The revenue from increases would also pay for emergency telephones in parking lots and more police officers, Plotts said.
The police department is proposing raising the price of parking permits from $35 to $40 as well as increasing fines for various parking offenses.
Plotts said if the proposals become policy, they would probably not take effect until the Spring 2008 semester.
Plotts said that the proposal is in the preliminary stages of the college's shared governance structure, and that there will have to be more discussion from various campus groups.
He said the Campus Police Committee voted unanimously for the increases.
From there, the proposals must go through the Student Services Planning Council, then the Strategic Planning Council, then Palomar's governing board.
"At any time in this process it could be killed," Plotts said.
Plotts said the revenue from the increases would not nearly come close to covering the total cost of the maintenance the parking lots require, and that the remainder would have to come from Palomar's general fund.
"We are estimating the increase will only be about $158,000 per year," Plotts said.
He said Facilities Director Mike Ellis gave an estimate to the police department that the total cost would be about $3.5 million, a figure Plotts said he wasn't certain of.
Ellis refused a request for an interview.
Plotts said the law requires funds generated from parking permits and parking fines to pay for parking lot maintenance.
Plotts said the increased revenue would also pay for new phones in the parking lots to connect people directly with the police department
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