To all: In Oregon and Washington, we have a multitude of relatively new fees. State parks now charge an admission fee. Cross country ski parking areas require a snow park permit. Hiking in the national forests requires a North West Forest Pass. Oregon and Washington boat ramps require a usuage fee. Local Sauvie Island beaches and Rooster Rock beaches now charge a fee. My favorite little park in Washinton now charges a fee to carry your kayak down a little gravel path to the water. These fees all were invented in the last few years. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see a trend developing. I can't speak for everyone, but personally I'm fed up with fees. Growing up in Florida, everything was open, wild, and free. All boat ramps were free. There was no fishing license required in saltwater. I'm thankful I can still remember outdoor recreation unencoumbered by bureaucratic BS. Bradford R. Crain Department of Mathematics and Statistics Portland State University 724 SW Harrison St. 334 Neuberger Hall Portland, Or 97201 Phone: 503-725-3127 E-mail: crainb_at_pdx.edu Fax: 503-725-3661 *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
What is happening in the outdoors is the same thing you are seeing at your University and other state (and Federal locations). State politicians have learned that general tax increases are political suicide. So what do you do when income stops its meteoric rise, and you still have to pay for critical services and your pet porkbarrel project? You cut the budgets of State agencies that have the ability to raise some of their own funds. As a result State political entities including Universities, DNR's, EPA's, Parks, etc. are expected to raise more of their operating funds through tuition, fees, licenses etc. Our governor is keeping his promise for the third straight year not to raise taxes. However tuition is again going up at State Universities by ~ 9% to offset cuts in funding. Part of it is justified as "user fees" - those who use the service pay the cost of providing the service. Some agencies maintain this pretext, others will admit they charge what they can when and where they can. Old saying "Don't tax me, don't tax thee, tax that man over behind the tree" When that man behind the tree raises enough fuss about these hidden tax increases, they will go somewhere else. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bradford R. Crain" <crainb_at_pdx.edu> To: <paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net> Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 10:35 AM Subject: [Paddlewise] kayak registration > To all: > In Oregon and Washington, we have a multitude of relatively > new fees. State parks now charge an admission fee. Cross country > ski parking areas require a snow park permit. Hiking in > the national forests requires a North West Forest Pass. > Oregon and Washington boat ramps require a usuage fee. Local > Sauvie Island beaches and Rooster Rock beaches now charge a fee. > My favorite little park in Washinton now charges > a fee to carry your kayak down a little gravel path to the water. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
What is happening in the outdoors is the same thing you are seeing at your University and other state (and Federal locations). State politicians have learned that general tax increases are political suicide. So what do you do when income stops its meteoric rise, and you still have to pay for critical services and your pet porkbarrel project? You cut the budgets of State agencies that have the ability to raise some of their own funds. As a result State political entities including Universities, DNR's, EPA's, Parks, etc. are expected to raise more of their operating funds through tuition, fees, licenses etc. Our governor is keeping his promise for the third straight year not to raise taxes. However tuition is again going up at State Universities by ~ 9% to offset cuts in funding. Part of it is justified as "user fees" - those who use the service pay the cost of providing the service. Some agencies maintain this pretext, others will admit they charge what they can when and where they can. Old saying "Don't tax me, don't tax thee, tax that man over behind the tree" When that man behind the tree raises enough fuss about these hidden tax increases, they will go somewhere else. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bradford R. Crain" <crainb_at_pdx.edu> Subject: [Paddlewise] kayak registration > To all: > In Oregon and Washington, we have a multitude of relatively > new fees. State parks now charge an admission fee. Cross country > ski parking areas require a snow park permit. Hiking in > the national forests requires a North West Forest Pass. > Oregon and Washington boat ramps require a usuage fee. Local > Sauvie Island beaches and Rooster Rock beaches now charge a fee. > My favorite little park in Washinton now charges > a fee to carry your kayak down a little gravel path to the water. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 3/23/2005 2:54:35 PM Pacific Standard Time, crainb_at_pdx.edu writes: In Oregon and Washington, we have a multitude of relatively new fees. State parks now charge an admission fee. Cross country ski parking areas require a snow park permit. Hiking in the national forests requires a North West Forest Pass. Oregon and Washington boat ramps require a usuage fee. Local Sauvie Island beaches and Rooster Rock beaches now charge a fee. My favorite little park in Washinton now charges a fee to carry your kayak down a little gravel path to the water. These fees all were invented in the last few years. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see a trend developing. I can't speak for everyone, but personally I'm fed up with fees. Brad, you left out the National Park pass, or the omnibus Golden Eagle thingy to gain "access" to all "publically held" federal lands. Rob G *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 3/23/2005 2:54:35 PM Pacific Standard Time, crainb_at_pdx.edu writes: >In Oregon and Washington, we have a multitude of relatively >new fees. State parks now charge an admission fee. Cross country >ski parking areas require a snow park permit. Hiking in >the national forests requires a North West Forest Pass. >Oregon and Washington boat ramps require a usuage fee. Local >Sauvie Island beaches and Rooster Rock beaches now charge a fee. >My favorite little park in Washinton now charges >a fee to carry your kayak down a little gravel path to the water. >These fees all were invented in the last few years. It doesn't >take a rocket scientist to see a trend developing. I can't speak >for everyone, but personally I'm fed up with fees. Is it time to change that line in your national anthem to "the land of the fee..."? Not that we should be getting smug up here in Canukistan - the current provincial government here in BC has slashed parks budgets, priviatized a lot of the parks/campground care, and is getting ready to lease out even more land for the building of commerical resorts in provincial parks.. It's not that I can't afford the fees - $5.00 or so for the backcountry/boat only access places I camp. But I know families who want to be able to use forestry (ie minimal facilities) campsites. And the $35 - $50 a week that might cost makes the difference between being able to go and not being able to go. So the "public lands" cease to be public, and become "for those who can afford them." Philip *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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