To: George Blumenthal, Chancellor

UCSC Chancellor Blumenthal: Stop the Parking Fee Hikes

For the past several years, the TAPS department at UC Santa Cruz has been deteriorating under the direction of Director Larry Pageler. The Director has made little to no effort to improve the department, only needlessly beefing up middle-management while leaving the department understaffed and overworked.
Now, the TAPS department is planning to raise the parking fees by 12% on July 1st when our members are scheduled to receive their modest 3% pay increase. These planned fee hikes are on top of the recent tuition hikes and crippling low wages at UCSC. The result is university employees not being able to afford to come to work. This must end! UCSC cannot continue to be a catalyst for poverty.
We call on you Chancellor Blumenthal to stop further penalizing students and workers at UCSC with parking fee increases. Put an end to the parking fee hikes!

Why is this important?

As the University of Califronia continues to raise student tuition and drop the wages of the middle-class, it still finds a way to nickel-and-dime the community.

A recent EPI study showed that over 93% of clerical support staff at the University of California cannot afford to meet the basic family budget for a single parent with one child in the city where they work. On top of that, the University continues to raise the student tuition and now plans to raise the parking fees for students and employees. This has to stop!