Las Vegas letting drivers pay parking tickets with school supplies donation

LAS VEGAS -- Las Vegas drivers who get a ticket now have the temporary option of donating school supplies in lieu of paying their fine in cash.

The city's council approved a measure earlier this month allowing donations of school supplies in place of cash payment through July 19. To qualify, drivers must present new school supplies of equal or greater value to their ticket. A receipt is required, and the donation must be made within 30 days of the citation.

City officials recommend donating pencils, pens, erasers, markers, rulers, scissors, and copy paper, among other items. The supplies the city collects will be donated to Teacher Exchange, a nonprofit organization, and distributed to public school teachers in southern Nevada.

Those with public safety violations are not eligible to participate.

The city instituted a similar program over the holidays in which drivers could donate new toys to satisfy their parking tickets. The toys were then donated to the Salvation Army.