Throughout all MCPS high schools, parking permits are set at $37.50 per semester, but RHS has been adding a late fee of five dollars as an incentive to make students buy their parking permits early. Because of MCPS regulations, the late fee will no longer be charged.

MCPS did not require there to be a five dollar late fee for students, but RHS imposed the fee anyways. Student Member of the Board (SMOB) senior John Mannes discussed at a recent Press Roundtable how schools cannot under or over charge for parking permits. Towards the beginning of April, RHS was contacted by the district and the late fee was ordered to be abolished upon complaint.

The Board of Education issues the parking fee to help pay for athletic allocations. Pat Gamage, business administrator at RHS said, “The late fee on parking permits was around since I got here and I’ve been here for more than 13 years.”

Gamage also stated how the five dollar late fee was sent into the Board of Education as additional money for the athletics programs. The five dollars was not used for any funds specifically at RHS.

RHS Principal Dr. Debra Munk said that the late fee had been charged since before she came to RHS. The late fee was simply abolished at RHS due to many complaints. “The Community Superintendent told me that we needed to get rid of the late fee, and so we did,” said Dr. Munk.

Because the parking permits total to $75 at end of the year, students are upset that they have had to pay more than what the county requires. “I do want a refunda��they hardly give people any time to pay for it. They put it on the announcements but they don’t emphasize it at all,” said junior Joe Kelly, who paid for the late fee both semesters, totaling up to ten extra dollars that were not necessary towards the county budget.

Although students prefer receiving refunds, logistically, according to Dr. Munk, “it is not possible.” However students will no longer be charged the late fee in the future.