hen examining the world through an economic lens, inefficiencies are more prominent and take a sharper focus. Not only do they take a sharper focus, but they beg for the attention of an economist.
   Peter Boettke, a professor of economics and philosophy at George Mason University said, “Economics can tell you the consequences of your normative position.”
   The role of an economist is not to give the right answer or decide which route to take. The economist informs the decision-maker of the consequences of the action taken. The economist uses economic thinking to provide the direct consequences and the indirect consequences of a given action.
   Parking prices at Mississippi State University continue to increase yearly with what seems to be few to zero increased benefits to the driver. In 2013, the parking permit for a commuter cost $125.00. This is a $38 increase since 2008, when parking permits for commuters were $87.00. This is a 44 percent increase in price for the commuter. Two questions come to mind concerning spaces and price. First, are all commuter parking spaces of equal value? The next question is whether the value of spaces is reflected in the price of parking permits?
    If all commuter parking spaces cost a uniform price, are all spaces of uniform value? The answer is no assuming the average commuter travels to any building located around the Drill Field. Any commuter would agree that parking in West Zone yields a shorter walk to McCool than those who park in the Humphrey Coliseum zone. Even within each zone there is a stark difference between parking at the front of the zone than at the back of the zone. The conclusion is that for any given commuter there exist parking spaces which are more preferable than others.  This disparity is currently not reflected in the price of the spaces. However, there likely exists a set of commuters who would be willing to pay more for a highly valuable spot. This reflects a market inefficiency.
   A change to the status quo should be done only when a more efficient alternative is present. In terms of economics, efficiency is a state in which any change cannot yield someone better off without making someone worse off. Any change which makes someone better off without making someone worse off is a move toward a more efficient state. Economics also emphasizes the importance that price plays in signaling value. Price communicates information to the consumer about a good or service’s relative value in the market.
    Where does this put us? Prices for commuter parking spaces do not reflect the value each individual consumer might be willing to pay. Also, the value of the parking spaces is not being communicated to the market. As a result, the benefits drivers receive vary daily based on what spot they get. Parking permits carry varying value leading to dissatisfaction among commuters as they receive less value on some days than on other days.   
   Innumerable policies exist which the university could implement. But say, for instance, the university rezones and charges more for preferred parking spots in different zones and less for less preferred areas of parking. Value is now being communicated to the consumers about the parking places. The university is not worse off, and commuters can now make rational choices about which areas they may wish to park in and receive the expected value with more reliability. However, the choice to implement a policy is not for the economist to make. We can only predict the consequences.
    After all, F.A. Hayek, an Austrian economist and Nobel prize winner said, “The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine they can design.”