Ohio sees increase in disabled parking permits

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) - A newspaper says a sharp increase in the number of disabled parking permits issued in Ohio has raised questions about whether they are too easy to acquire and how to meet the demand for spaces.

The Dayton Daily News reports that the Ohio handed out 300,000 of the placards last year. That was a 21-percent increase from 2006.

Requirements to get a placard include a prescription from a health professional, which provides proof of a disability, an application to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and a $3.50 fee.

Some consider the application process too lax.

Linda Oda, chairwoman of the Governor's Council on People with Disabilities, says the general feeling of the council that it's too easy to get a permit.