COLUMBIA, S.C. — In an unanimous vote, the Columbia City Council voted to pass an ordinance that would allow drivers to bring in school supplies as payment for parking tickets.
The city's parking services business liaison spoke to News 19 ahead of the vote on Tuesday and explained that the payments in school supplies will go into effect August 7th through September 21st of this year.
"We are anticipating $25,000 worth of donations in replacement of those citations," says Jessica Argoe, City of Columbia Parking Services. "We do ask that you turn in your receipt for unwrapped and un used school supplies."
Argoe says the school supplies, including notebooks, pencils, pens and paper, should be of equal or greater value of the citation.
The citation must be written between Aug 7-Sept. 21 in order to be eligible for the alternative payment program.
The program was modeled after the city of Las Vegas, NV, who recently allowed their parking tickets to be paid in school supplies.
Once the supplies is collected by Parking Services, it will be distributed through the Ynotu2 organization.
School supplies can be delivered to the Parking Services office at the Lincoln Street Garage located at 820 Washington Street in Columbia.