The parking provision of the bill has a loophole that is likewise a mile wide — one that would allow UW to satisfy it by constructing one single new parking space rather than a parking garage that is already needed even for the existing dormitories (and would be even more needed for anything new). The bill also proposes destroying the existing parking near the Wyoming Union, making it nearly impossible for visitors and those doing business with the university to find parking anywhere near it.

Finally, the bill would harm local residents — people whom the Legislature is supposed to represent — for the sake of a selfish, corporation-like entity whose greed citizens count on our elected officials to rein in. By severely impacting the tax base that supports vital services in the community, and using citizens’ own tax dollars to compete unfairly with the rental housing in which so many of them have invested, it would destroy their retirement savings and greatly harm the quality of life in Laramie. Residents are particularly concerned that, once the additional housing is constructed, the university (which already ties its housing services to its educational services by requiring freshmen to live in the dorms) will move ahead with proposed plans to require this of sophomores as well, further impacting the local tax base and local providers of rental housing.

The state’s interests, the community’s interests and (ironically) UW’s own mission would be best served by a very different plan: replacing the Hill and Crane dormitories with a multilevel parking garage while performing economical overhauls of White and McIntyre halls. All Wyoming residents should insist that UW go back to the drawing board and — rather than wasting our tax money and compromising the quality of instruction at our one state university — come up with a sensible, economical plan that does not pit UW’s greed, flamboyance and extravagant ambitions against the interests of citizens.

Brett Glass is an electrical engineer in Laramie, Wyoming. He founded the world’s first wireless Internet service provider and owns and manages half a dozen small rental properties.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0