The Associated Students Organization (ASO) is considering a ballot measure for their 2012-13 elections that would increase the $7 membership fee to $10.
This fee is added to all premium parking passes purchased on campus.
Currently, the $7 fee brings the cost of a parking passes to a total of $27.
If the $3 increase goes though on April 17, those passes will cost $30 per semester.
Theoretically, the increase would provide an additional $60,000 to their annual funds.
“We would have more money for clubs and events,” said Club Council President EJ Tormes.
The ASO budget for this fiscal year of fall 2011/spring 2012 was about $140,000, according to ASO President Shane Mooney.
Every year, about $120,000 of the ASO budget is already allocated, leaving them with approximately $20,000 to spend on any new financial requests such as newly formed clubs or committee events.
“I think we should raise the fee,” said ASO Treasurer Fernando Aquino. “We would be able to fund more things.”
The only student government organizations in the Los Angeles Community College District that charge $10 membership fees are Los Angeles Valley College and Los Angeles Harbor College; the other seven colleges only charge $7.
“Clubs come to us with really good ideas, but it’s sad when we can’t afford it,” said Mooney. “If we funded every club we’d be broke before the year ended.”
Aside from their operation expenses and club events, the ASO also pays for Pierce’s graduation ceremony every year as well as about $10,000 in scholarships.
“If we raised more, we could double our scholarships,” said Mooney.
For more information on the ASO 2012-2013 elections visit their website: PierceASO.webs.com
To learn more about ASO’s budget go to: ASO’s 2011/2012 budget
