To the Editor,
In Monday’s paper, Tony Francetic was lamenting his towing experience at
St. Mary’s. It reminds me that I should probably pass this news along. We
are equal opportunity towers. We not only two good Catholic guys like Tony. We
also tow good Methodists and Lutherans, and Presbyterians, Jews and Muslims, and
even agnostics and atheists. We tow women as well as men, faculty, staff and students.
The idea behind towing is really simple: St. Mary’s is private property.
It is not owned or operated or supported in any way by CMU. So, if you park in
our lot without permission, you’re trespassing.
It’s possible to get permission. Not to ask is really rude. The five parking
spaces we have are the remnants of a large lot we once had in the ’70s which
we closed in an agreement with CMU. (Part of that agreement is that we have access
to Lot 22 on weekends.) Those five little spaces are all we have for the many
people who want to stop at St. Mary’s during the week for business. When
you take one without asking, you are making life tough on someone who’s had
a death in the family, here for counseling, for a meeting or stopping in to pray.
St. Mary’s is delighted to be at CMU and proud of what this university is
trying to accomplish. For all that we do for the university community, we don’t
ask for a dime from it. We believe it is not too much to ask people to respect
our property.
So, Tony, this is really simple: ask and you shall (or at least might) receive.
Don’t ask and you shall be towed. And to show your kindheartedness, we’re
sending you a coupon for $5 off anything you might need from Green’s Towing,
except paying for impound.

E-mail the author: copress