Las Vegas allows drivers to pay parking tickets with school supplies, teachers say 'every little bit helps'
Drivers in Las Vegas can now, for a short time, pay off their parking tickets with school supplies.
According to a news release posted by the City of Las Vegas, Clark County, Nev., people with parking infractions between June 19 and July 19 will be able to satisfy their tickets by bringing in school supplies. These supplies will be donated to the Teacher’s Exchange, a non-profit associated with the Public Education Foundation.
Supplies must be delivered to the city’s Parking Services Office within 30 days of receiving a citation, the news release outlines.
The city shared a recommended list of items to donate, including pencils, pens, erasers, dry erase markers, post-it notes and disinfecting wipes. All supplies brought in are required to be new and unwrapped, and a purchase receipt must be presented with them.
David Riggleman, Communications Director for the City of Nevada tells Yahoo Lifestyle that donations usually total between $1,000 and 2,000 when they run such programs.
“It is a way to encourage building community and to help non-profit associations in need. We also believe it makes paying parking fines more palatable if the donation is going to a good cause,” he says.
The program, though temporary, is being received by educators with open arms.
Vicki Kreidel, President of the National Education Association of Southern Nevada (NEA-SN) tells Yahoo Lifestyle that “spending out of pocket should not be a job requirement for educators, so we think this program is a great idea.” Kreidel adds that “teachers are spending anywhere from from $500 to $1500 out of pocket for supplies,” which is ‘unacceptable,” so every little bit helps.
Kreidel describes why the program is especially important in the public school system, where “most teachers, around 95% according to some surveys, spend hundreds of dollars every year on supplies for their classrooms.”
“Teachers at our public schools spent more than teachers at charter or private schools. Meanwhile, teachers at schools with higher percentages of students eligible for free and reduced lunch spent the most out of pocket,” she wrote. “While we prefer the system be adequately funded to account for the necessary supplies in each classroom, this program will be helpful in mitigating some of the burden on our educators.”
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department tells Yahoo Lifestyle that the LVMPD does not collect the revenue generated by citations. “Las Vegas City and Clark County receive funds depending on what jurisdiction the citation is issued in,” a representative says, suggesting that the new program will not have an impact on LVMPD operations.
It is unclear how the supplies will be distributed between public schools.
Representatives from Nevada State Education Association and the Teacher’s Exchange did not immediately respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment.
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