There has been talk about cutting state parks for the 2009-2010 budget (up to 36 parks).
Now I find this would be very hard to actually follow through with, but...
I dont understand why they dont charge people to get into the state parks. Many other states do this, and the way I see it as long as the money is used to keep the parks running I would be more than willing to pay it.
In florida for example, it is about $1.75 for a person to enter the state park for a day and it decreases with the more people you have in your car. Next, they sell season passes for individuals and families.
If this could help with the budget, I think it would be a good idea.
The only downside I can think of would be hiring someone to sit at the gates and collect the money and they have already made big cuts on state park personnel (I was a lifeguard and they got rid of all lifeguards except for Presque isle!)
There has been talk about cutting state parks for the 2009-2010 budget (up to 36 parks).
Now I find this would be very hard to actually follow through with, but...
I dont understand why they dont charge people to get into the state parks. Many other states do this, and the way I see it as long as the money is used to keep the parks running I would be more than willing to pay it.
In florida for example, it is about $1.75 for a person to enter the state park for a day and it decreases with the more people you have in your car. Next, they sell season passes for individuals and families.
If this could help with the budget, I think it would be a good idea.
The only downside I can think of would be hiring someone to sit at the gates and collect the money and they have already made big cuts on state park personnel (I was a lifeguard and they got rid of all lifeguards except for Presque isle!)
just my 0.02
Jim, when i first heard about the state closing parks i got worried too. Here at shenango lake, they have a launch fee that helps offset the cost to keep the park open. I bought a season launch pass for $30. that is good till the end of the month next year. They have a daily pass for $3. that is good for 24 hours so you can fish all night if you launch from certain ramps. This is a COE lake so i'm not sure if that makes a diffrence. I personally dont think that the launch fee is too much if it's going to help offset costs to keep the state parks open. They really keep shenango lake looking great. Clean restrooms, good camping sites, showers, well maintained grass, and some of the best fishing in western PA.
Jim,
I;ll give my take on the state parks closing. I bother me to get political on a fishing forum but. Our wonderful govenor and our bloated fat cat legislators we have twice as many as we need,the state store system why do i need a 20 dollar an hour guy sell me a bottle of wine?almost 2/3 of rendells deficit could be removed just from selling the state stores.Big ed has lots of money for PNC bank.Westinghouse,UPMC,and the only park around here thats kept up nice is PNC park take a ride out to Raccoon park cabins falling down picnic tables all bowed ect. So you see jim if we ever open our eyes and brainds and maybe look at who we vote for in landslide elections,rather that just what political party thet are then maybe it will change.
Sorry im ranting this topic really fires me up.We own the State Parks the people we pay for them already in form of taxes.They are not Fat eddies property
Jim, when i first heard about the state closing parks i got worried too. Here at shenango lake, they have a launch fee that helps offset the cost to keep the park open. I bought a season launch pass for $30. that is good till the end of the month next year. They have a daily pass for $3. that is good for 24 hours so you can fish all night if you launch from certain ramps. This is a COE lake so i'm not sure if that makes a diffrence. I personally dont think that the launch fee is too much if it's going to help offset costs to keep the state parks open. They really keep shenango lake looking great. Clean restrooms, good camping sites, showers, well maintained grass, and some of the best fishing in western PA.
I have paid that same fee when I have gone to Hammond Lake and that park is in great shape as well. Raystown I believe is the same way. Those are all COE lakes. The state park lakes are free to boat and I hope they consider making it like you have it at Shenango
What about the boat registration fees. And when you write down how much gas you used in your boat on your new registration PA turns that in to the fed govt and so the feds will give PA a cut of fed gas tax.
If they charge a fee the Governor and The PA Legislature WILL be dipping into that fund to pay for other Government programs.
i am frome ga. and the state park pass has increased $5.00 per car per day . yeraley pass is $50.00. senior citizen is $25.00. if you are camping the pass is good for your stay.
There are a few of the parks that probably could be closed or simply turned over to State Forest oversight. Sand Bridge, for example, is the smallest park in PA and it's right in the middle of Bald Eagle State Forest. It could simply be turned into a State Forest picnic area to save some money.
On the other hand, I've heard that numerous legislators have already designated reserve funds to keep the parks going. I'm glad of that.
And I'm no fan of our governor, but just to set the facts straight...DCNR funding cuts were proposed by Republican senators. It was then the head of DCNR, Mr. Quigley, who said that DCNR would have no choice but to close a bunch of parks. When the senators challenged Quigley to provide details of why so many closings were needed, he never came back with the justification.
It's all a bunch of political posturing. Times are tough and you're going to see this more and more often.
You know PA has a $1.00 tax on each tire you buy to support public transportation. I see that as a tax on rural people. We have no public transportation, and have to burn up our own tires to get around. Why should we have to support public transportation? How about they add a tax to public transportation tickets that would support state parks? It's money well spent to preserve open space and wildlife. Besides, city folk enjoy the parks.
I suspect that the launch fees charged at Hammond and Cowanesque lakes goes to the feds and not to PA. That oversupply of park rangers are on the federal payroll I believe because these lakes are part of a flood control system covering multiple states.
Taxes are a no win subject - they take where ever they can for whatever reason sounds good at that time. Remember the federal tax on aluminum arrows but not on wooden arrows. There's even a federal tax paid by manufacturers of fishing tackle!
There is no answer - we are destined for government tyranny You cannot even buy a fishing license in NY without DOB and address being recorded in the state computer system, and hunting license (you must be a gun owner too)which also has records of your cars annual mileage and firearms purchases and on and on .........
PA State Park Cuts
You cannot even buy a fishing license in NY without DOB and address being recorded in the state computer system, and hunting license (you must be a gun owner too)which also has records of your cars annual mileage and firearms purchases and on and on .........
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