Illustration by Levi Miles
At the February regular meeting, the school board discussed raising the annual parking permit fee at the high school from $10 to $50. This change is expected to bring in $6,750 more than the current parking permit fee. This translates to approximately 170 parking spots.
The purpose of raising the fee is to help alleviate the district’s budget deficit.
“It’s not something that we want to do,” said vice principal Mark Weddig, “but it might allow us to save something else in the budget.”
According to Weddig, there is no specific use planned for the $6,750. This money will be placed in the school’s general fund. The school realizes that this increase in price will cause some changes.
“We assume that we will sell less permits but still bring in more revenue because of the higher cost,” said Weddig.
Junior Eric Helstad expects that some students will discover ways to avoid buying a parking permit.
“The Lunda Park parking lot is just an extra 100 yards away,” said Helstad. “I’m sure kids would just park there and walk a little extra each day rather than pay $50.”
Teachers do not have to pay for parking permits. They can park in the faculty lot for free. There is a simple explanation for this.
“Teachers aren’t offered a bus ride for free everyday,” said Weddig.
Weddig does not feel that a $50 annual parking fee would be an outrageous expectation.
“For a community like Black River Falls, I think [$50 is reasonable],” said Weddig. “At Appleton high schools, they charge $400 a year.”
In neighboring Sparta, students currently pay $25 to park at school. Some students must walk farther than others, but there are enough spots for everyone. This is not the case throughout the state.
At Germantown High School, students pay $149 to park for an entire school year. However, there are only 300 to 400 spots to accommodate the 1,400 students. Students must apply for parking permits.
“Not everyone that has a car can have a spot,” said Germantown High senior Ben Xue.
Twenty miles northeast of Germantown in Port Washington, Wis., students pay $100 for an annual parking permit. At Hamilton High School in Sussex, a parking permit costs $80. Hamilton uses a different method for assigning parking spots.
“They use a lottery to assign parking spots,” said Hamilton High School senior Talon Zarling. “The first name drawn gets the closest spot, and they keep drawing names until [all the applicants] have a spot.”
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With many people thinking “green” these days, why don’t more kids car pool, or better yet, take the bus.
Most defiantly AGAINST it. Most kids our age hardly have enough money to pay for gas!We work just to try to pay for the vehicles we buy, plus gas, and then to top it off, now we have to pay $50 just to park. Does the school board understand how many people don’t want to pay that much? I would think they might lose money by doing that.
Is this serious? How much money do they think we have to throw around on something as simple as a school parking permit? I don’t think we should be expected to cover the cost of a budget deficit when we had nothing to do with it. Raise it and it will backfire. I myself would have no problem saving $50 on a permit by parking somewhere other than the school and walking, and I know for a fact others feel the same. Times are tough, I get it and that’s why prices may be raised. But seriously, does the school think they’re the only ones with a money problem these days?
Yeah they might charge these school 400 dollars a year to park, but thats appelton and alot larger schools. how bout we dont worry about other schools and worry about black river falls and the problem at hand….thats all.
I think that raising the price of parking permits is to pay for the drug tests. If the price goes up to 50 dollars im walking or riding with someone else. Besides i could use the exercise. If anything i’ll get ahold of a few of my friends that live near by and we’ll all walk together.
Not to jump from the content of the article, but our socitey has become so keen on driving everywhere no matter what the distance. One single gallon of gas releases 20 pounds of carbon dioxide. Think how many pounds are being released from everyone that drives to and from school everyday. Not only are walking, biking and carpooling better for your health and the environment, they are also substantially cheaper alternatives to driving. And it may be “embarassing” to take the yellow bus that drives by everyday to school, but why should you be embarassed to be reducing your carbon footprint? Think.
I couldn’t agree with Andy more. I bike past many students getting in their cars each morning. When they live 1/2 mile from the school. In many countries you could not find parking within a half mile of your destination. It would be great so see students getting together and walking to school. Walking or biking is such a nice way to start your day. Think how pleasant it would be to have walking, chatting groups of students converging on the school–or running in the rain and laughing about it — rather than solo students waiting in line to get into the parking lot.
well some students dont get to ride the bus bcuz they live in the city and some people have jobs bcuz their parents dont pay for everything
Ugh, this makes me sick. Why should students and their parents be expected to pay to help the school gain some money? They don’t even know what they are going to do with the money! And I agree with Mason, the larger schools charge more because they are exactly that; LARGER!
I disagree with the raise in money. I cannot just ride a bus, because the bus system no longer picks up high school kids in my area. So, If I were to walk, I would have to walk at least a mile and 1/2, and get up (and leave)way earlier, which would lead to me not being able to help my sister in the mornings. I have to drive. And I DO NOT want to pay 50$ for a pass. I don’t have that kind of money, and neither do most high school students.
i love how our school is talking about other schools…thats THEIR school! raising the price would be ridiculous…students these days have alot on their hands..they dont have 50 bucks just laying around to hand over to the school to do who knows what with…the school already gets our tax money..what else do u want? 20 bucks for each class you take? 5 bucks for each lunch u eat? 2 dollars for everytime u use the restroom…give the students to come a break!
Right on Shawni haha. Totally agree!
andy, nice answer! anyway, i ride the bus. there’s not really anything embarrassing about it. i just have to make sure i get up early enough. plus it’s nice because i get to zone and don’t have to worry about getting into a fenderbender and being responsible for it.
It costs me $42.00 to fill up my gas tank and $90.00 every 3 months for insurence. $50 would help me out alot. They should understand that we also dont have a lot of money and we need to savee for future things in our lives. paying $50 for parking at school for like 9 months is a really dumb, dumb idea. If they just want that they should make it for our intire high school career! seriously they should read all these comments and see what they would get if they did charge us. im definatly not putting my car on the school if i have to pay $50 for 9 months of school. im with Austin, im parking somewhere else!!