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From: Bradford R. Crain <crainb_at_pdx.edu>
subject: [Paddlewise] the beginning of the end
Date: Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:46:20 -0700
   At the end of the 2009 Oregon legislative session, that august body
passed a bill which included raising the admission fee for Oregon State
Parks from $3 to $5. It also requires a $5 permit for any manually
propelled craft over 10 feet. The owner of a "quiver" of canoes, kayaks,
rafts, etc. over 10 feet would need a single permit. An owner of multiple
power boats would need to pay the fee for each boat, in addition to the
existing powerboat license(s). The additional money collected would
ostensibly be used to battle invasive species. There was no public input.

   As someone pointed out, the camel has gotten it's nose under the tent.

   Brad Crain
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From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] the beginning of the end
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:16:12 -0700
On Sun, Jul 12, 2009 at 3:46 PM, Bradford R. Crain <crainb_at_pdx.edu> wrote:

>  At the end of the 2009 Oregon legislative session, that august body
> passed a bill which included raising the admission fee for Oregon State
> Parks from $3 to $5.


Washington rescinded it's "day use" fee for state parks. They discovered
that no one was using them because of the fee. Oregon is likely to discover
the same thing.

It also requires a $5 permit for any manually
> propelled craft over 10 feet. The owner of a "quiver" of canoes, kayaks,
> rafts, etc. over 10 feet would need a single permit. An owner of multiple
> power boats would need to pay the fee for each boat, in addition to the
> existing powerboat license(s). The additional money collected would
> ostensibly be used to battle invasive species. There was no public input.


It's not surprising with the various legislatures looking for money
everywhere but in general tax increases. Turns out, apparently, that
lowering taxes is not the answer to everything we had been told for the past
30 years. Not that anyone wants to admit that.

I wonder what a Washington kayak paddler will be required to do if caught on
the Oregon side of the Columbia River.

About 30 years ago Oregon raised camping fees for non-Oregon residents. I
didn't camp in Oregon (or buy anything in Oregon) for 25 years or so. I
heard, however, that they pulled that rule back when Idaho passed an
increase in camping fees applicable ONLY to Oregon residents camping in
Idaho. LOL.

Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
www.nwkayaking.net
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From: Dave Kruger <kdruger_at_pacifier.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] the beginning of the end
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:35:31 -0700
Craig Jungers wrote:

> It's not surprising with the various legislatures looking for money
> everywhere but in general tax increases. Turns out, apparently, that
> lowering taxes is not the answer to everything we had been told for the past
> 30 years. Not that anyone wants to admit that.

Currently, it costs $8.00 (yeah, eight bucks) per day just to _park_ in the 
lot adjacent to a popular surfing/swimming/paddling spot at one of the CA 
State parks down where I have been staying this summer (Cardiff by the 
Sea).  Yet, it is regularly full and has no room, from about 10 am onward.

The response by many is to park adjacent to heavily traveled Hwy 101 about 
300-400 yards away and carry/roll boards, yaks, etc., along the roadside in 
the bike lane ... to the beach.

The real problem is that there are just to freaking MANY of us!

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] the beginning of the end
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:35:08 -0700
On Fri, Jul 31, 2009 at 5:35 AM, Dave Kruger <kdruger_at_pacifier.com> wrote:

>
> The real problem is that there are just to freaking MANY of us!
>

It's not like Mother Nature hasn't been trying, you know. HIV, SAR, H1N1,
etc.


Craig
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From: Bradford R. Crain <crainb_at_pdx.edu>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] the beginning of the end
Date: Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:15:37 -0700
   When the Northwest Forest Pass was invented by Congress, I stopped hiking.
When the Oregon
   Snowpark Permit was instituted, I began skiing less. When Oregon State
Parks came up with a
   day use admission fee, I quit going to Oregon State Parks. When Oregon
discussed a bicycle
   permit fee, I decided to just take my chances, since I bicycle to work. Now
with a permit fee
   imposed on kayaks, I suppose I'll have to paddle illegally or give it up. I
guess I could paddle in
   neighboring Washington State, but I don't have their boat ramp permit. To
launch a kayak at
   some of the best locations along the Columbia River, such as the 42nd Ave
ramp, now requires
   a fee. All these things were free when I first moved to Oregon. Now there's
a clamming fee
   (I actually got a ticket for digging a clam). I got a ticket for not having
a fire extinguisher in my
   12-foot aluminum boat (I beat that one because boats under 15 feet are not
required to have
   a fire extinguisher.) Some people want to require bicyclists to buy a
bicycle license (as a
   sort of road tax) and insurance. And authorities wonder why Americans are
so obese. It truly
   is the Beginning of the End. Life was so much simpler when I was a child.

   Brad Crain
  On Sun, Jul 12, 2009 at 3:46 PM, Bradford R. Crain <crainb_at_pdx.edu> wrote:

     At the end of the 2009 Oregon legislative session, that august body
    passed a bill which included raising the admission fee for Oregon State
    Parks from $3 to $5.

  Washington rescinded it's "day use" fee for state parks. They discovered
that no one was using them because of the fee. Oregon is likely to discover
the same thing.


    It also requires a $5 permit for any manually
    propelled craft over 10 feet. The owner of a "quiver" of canoes, kayaks,
    rafts, etc. over 10 feet would need a single permit. An owner of multiple
    power boats would need to pay the fee for each boat, in addition to the
    existing powerboat license(s). The additional money collected would
    ostensibly be used to battle invasive species. There was no public input.

  It's not surprising with the various legislatures looking for money
everywhere but in general tax increases. Turns out, apparently, that lowering
taxes is not the answer to everything we had been told for the past 30 years.
Not that anyone wants to admit that.

  I wonder what a Washington kayak paddler will be required to do if caught on
the Oregon side of the Columbia River.

  About 30 years ago Oregon raised camping fees for non-Oregon residents. I
didn't camp in Oregon (or buy anything in Oregon) for 25 years or so. I heard,
however, that they pulled that rule back when Idaho passed an increase in
camping fees applicable ONLY to Oregon residents camping in Idaho. LOL.

  Craig Jungers
  Moses Lake, WA
  www.nwkayaking.net
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From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] the beginning of the end
Date: Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:40:09 -0700
On Tue, Jul 14, 2009 at 11:15 AM, Bradford R. Crain <crainb_at_pdx.edu> wrote:

>  Life was so much simpler when I was a child.
>
>
Let us not go into that. It would take forever. I will add, however, that I
saw someone who did some research and found that children today have a much
smaller "circle of freedom" than we had and that our parents had a larger
one that us. I commonly rode my bike across Spokane at age 12. I doubt
anyone lets their 12-yr-olds ride a bike to school let alone across town.
I'm convinced that the incidence of child kidnappings and violence is no
worse than it was 50 years ago but just much better publicized. We now hear
of kidnappings in Europe where we would never hear of them across county
lines in the 50s.

I don't believe Washington has a boat ramp fee or a permit unless it's a
fishing or hunting ramp and then you get a sticker with a license. There are
fees in state parks for launching however. As an officially disabled person
I get to do them free. I'd be happy to shoot you in the kneecap if you think
that would help. :D

My use of cross-country ski trails actually increased with the permits as
they fund trail grooming and I am unable to go off into deep snow. So I
happily pay the "parking" fee every year and then try to go often enough to
get the cost down under $1 per trip. We also try to load the car up.

The Muthah-Ship does relieve me of a lot of the hassles of kayakers. I don't
have to worry about where to camp but simply find a quiet anchorage. I pay
$185 a month for my covered slip in Oak Harbor just 20nm from Lopez Island
and it doesn't seem unreasonable to me. Even the State Marine Parks only
charge for the use of the docks or the buoys so when I drop the hook I get
all the rest for free. Even so, I'm going to buy an annual pass next year
simply because I believe in it. But I remember when they were all free.
Heck, I remember when camping in Washington State Parks was free. But they
didn't have sixteen "rangers" all armed with handguns patrolling the parks
and living in housing provided by the park system either.

Mike Euritt's words about the seeming inability of bureaucrats to spend
money wisely are certainly apt. Maybe that generation which went to war as a
necessity of the country's survival as opposed to going to war as a
political exercise is the difference but there was something about a country
ran by WWII veterans that is now missing. Call it an ability to focus, to
make decisions, or whatever. I am not of that generation but I grew up with
them as my relatives, my teachers and my supervisors and the contrast is
stark.

I should stop now or I'll seem like just another ol' guy whining about back
in the day.

A better write-up of the "shakdown cruise" is on my web page with a spiffy
photo of a Hobie Cat on one ama whizzing by. Dang, but that looks fun!!!


Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
www.nwkayaking.net
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