Students returning to campus will find themselves paying more for nearly every type of ticket in the fall. In its latest meeting, the Board of Regents approved the proposal by the ISU Department of Public Safety Parking Division to increase most of its fees and fines — changes likely to take effect at the start of the 2005-2006 school year in August. Because of its different relationship to the university, the parking division is not as greatly affected by budget problems.

Bob Downer, president pro tempore of the Board of Regents, said there were no objections from students or others to raising parking fees.

“This was not a matter that had extensive discussion,” Downer said. “There weren’t any objections, whether written or communicated, to the Regents.”

According to the Board of Regents Web site, fines for illegal parking are slated to rise from $12 to $15, fines for parking at an expired meter are planned to rise from $5 to $7.50 and parking illegally in a reserved lot or space could increase from $15 to $25.

Parking permit prices could also increase, followed by a doubling in the fines for forging, counterfeiting or using an unauthorized parking permit to $80 for each violation.

However, some ticket fees will not increase. Fines for failing to purchase a parking receipt will decrease to $7.50 to bring it in line for the fine for overtime parking at meters.

In fiscal year 2004, ISU Parking collected $993,414 in fines and $1,498,359 in fees. When DPS did its analysis of parking fines in Spring 2004, Doug Houghton, program manager for DPS, said he found out the parking division had not raised its fees for more than 13 years.

“With the exception of violations for parking in a handicapped spot being raised from $50 to the state minimum $100, I can’t tell the last time these fines were changed because I can’t find it,” he said.

Barb Boose, communications officer for the Board of Regents, said students have had sufficient time to voice their concerns about a fine increase.

“The Regents are required by the Iowa Code to notify students 30 days before taking any action looking at student costs, she said.

Houghton said the parking division’s goal with the fine increase was not meant to fight budget problems. He said the parking division’s goal was to issue less tickets, but the raised fines will enable them to collect the same amount of money.

“Parking gets no tuition dollars, no state money and no outside funds to support our operations: moving snow, maintaining structures, paying for the lights… so budget changes don’t impact Parking Division the same way,” Houghton said.

Julia Andrew , senior in elementary education, said she believes the increases for accidental violations would not lower the overall amount of tickets DPS gives out.

“It might make me think twice about driving into the university and leaving my car there a little longer,” she said. “But I don’t think a small increase will work to stop people who keep getting tickets for those sort of things.”

Houghton said the parking division would likely turn to other methods, such as targeted enforcement of certain areas, better education or increased towing, if increases in fees fail to reduce parking violations.