Legalized robbery

John Ohlfest

Certain people in Ames are committing legalized robbery.

Most students may have an idea what I am talking about. Want examples?

Why is it that DPS gets 12 bucks for a parking ticket? Does a punitive damage for parking require a 12 dollar charge?

Ames charges $5, so why do we tolerate outrageous rates? The list gets better.

Guitar strings are about $7-$10 a pack. In any other city they are $3-$5 a pack.

A two-bedroom junk apartment in Ames can run up to 600 bucks, but you can get the same thing in Des Moines for hundreds less.

Have you had an oil change lately? Seems like I pay about 10 bucks more anywhere in Ames than I do in Des Moines.

Are we seeing a pattern yet?

It seems certain people in Ames ranging from University officials to private merchants have decided, in their infinite wisdom, that they are going to make as much money as possible ripping off students.

Now before you cut my argument in half with a Ph.D. chop, maybe you should look around you and compare things for yourself from the students’ point of view.

Students are the only reason many people in Ames have a job.

I for one am tired of people in Ames monopolizing markets and taking people for complete idiots.

The people who are doing this know who they are, so live it rich while you can.

What is that saying … what goes around comes around.


John Ohlfest

Junior

Biology