Annual Hearing on Parking & Busing Policies, Budget and Capital Improvements

Thursday, March 20, 2025
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
CSU 203

View Hearing Documents

The Annual Hearing on Parking Policies, Budget and Capital Improvements was held Thursday, March 20, 2025, with 15 people in attendance.  Items published on the official "Docket" were addressed and participants were engaged, offering up ideas and suggestions.  All questions were answered to the best of our ability - Security's Adam Kruger was a fountain of information when it came to enforcement and the how our Cardinal TickeTrak vendor software worked when people purchase parking privileges.  Prior notice included email Annual Meeting invites to bargaining unit heads, posting on The Fountain, display ads in The Reporter, Parking & Transportation Website alerts, etc.  Involvement of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Committee was also solicited.  The budget discussion started back on November 8, 2024, at a meeting where an 8% initial permit recommendation was chopped down - the 6% increase now proposed was formally recommended for the first time January 17, 2025.

Immediately following the March 20th Annual Hearing's conclusion, a meeting was held by the Advisory Committee to discuss the testimony and vote on final recommendations.  With all 6 voting members present (or their alternates), these actions were taken:

1. Recommend the adoption for 2025-26 of a 6% increase to the existing parking permit rates.  For the self-sustaining Parking Fund, the Advisory Committee endorsed the $1,796,000 income plan which heavily relies on permit sales, and a $1,746,000 spending plan which anticipates labor agreement wage and fringe benefit increases for 10 FTE positions (7 of which relate to Security and Traffic Control), inflation impacts on lot repairs, among other outlays.

2.  Recommend the elimination of a charge for accessibility parking privileges.  Currently, state-issued accessibility dashboard permits and vehicle plates do not carry a fee with the state conducting a thorough eligibility process.    MinnState System has allowed campuses to charge a local fee, which the University created and has tried to implement.   However, it is difficult to enforce fee compliance, particularly when guests and visitors frequent the campus parking side by side a student or employee who is also displaying a state issued permit.  Ticketing the MSU community member for not buying a permit and requiring them to park in Lot 23 (Free Lot) or pay $173 raises questions about fairness and feeds confusion about what the state-issued process is all about. 
   
   Public hearing testimony and a variety of viewpoints were considered, with the end result making buying an accessibility parking permit "voluntary" if a state-issued dashboard or accessibility vehicle plate holder chooses to contribute to the Parking Fund.  The only fines collected will be the state-mandated $200 for anybody who parks in an accessibility permit stall without state-issued certification.  The University would continue to allow anybody with a state-issued accessibility parking privilege to park in any nearby vacant stall, should accessibility signed stalls be full.
3. Free parking opportunities would continue for 2025-26, including Lot 23 (416 stalls) converting Lot 22 South (180 stalls in normally an Orange permit area) for free parkers thru much of Fall Semester until November 1.  The 3-year old "experiment" has worked and provided an incentive for those used to parking in Lot 22 South for a couple of months to make the decision to buy a $35 Orange permit for the Spring Semester.  Eliminating a free parking option for the campus, would not be a significant income generator, or sufficient enough to off-set the angst among University neighbors who would then have to deal with illegal parkers late for class trying to avoid police enforcement.  Enrollment optics are inviting to those who are on a tight budget when free parking zones are known.   Student Government remains firm in its belief that a free parking option is essential.
   
   Also continuing is the registration of free parking users but instead of fines for not registering they will be encouraged to sign up with the possibility of receiving a Purple permit if their name is drawn.   As an alternative, employees and students parking in Free Parking areas would continue to be urged to buy a $35 sales price Orange permit for Spring Semester.