Think you're paying a bit too much to visit your local state park? If California has its way, annual park passes could climb as much as $70 come May 1. Is it shut up and pay, or don't pay and shut down?
In a story carried by the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, California State Park officials are planning on extreme "pay to play." Annual passes that allow visits to all state parks will jump from the already steep $125 to $195. Lower cost, but limited to 98 parks, the Golden Poppy pass will shoot up like flowers after a rain from $90 to $125.
Government officials blame rising costs. Official parks spokesman, Roy Stearns, told the paper, "We don’t like raising fees. But the cost of everything is going up." With government unable to resolve the issue of funding, the feeling is evidently 'pass it along to the user.'
But even the proposed fee increase won't solve it all. The state still plans to close the gates on dozens of the Golden State's parks come July 1.
California sells about 65,000 passes per year, a small number when compared to the state's population of 37.6 million. While officials acknowledge the price hike will probably reduce sales even more, they still feel they'll come out ahead.
flag face:Alex Schweigert on flickr.com
Hawaii doesn't have a bridge from here to there so I won't take my RV, California doesn't realize how important my tourist dollars are to them so I won't take my RV there either!
ReplyDeleteJust one more reason not to spend my money in Calif.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sorry excuse for a state.
If you are an rver visiting ca why would you worry about an annual pass fee?
ReplyDeleteWe drove across the US in March and the feedback we get from fellow RVers.... Calif. is another nation. It is sad that fees and taxes are so high here. If it wasn't for my family, I'd seriously think of moving out of the state. Paying your fair share is one thing but the prices consistently going up are ridiculous. How about trimming from the top !!!!! What happened to all the tax money they've taken in when Real Estate was at a high a few years back ??????
ReplyDeleteBorn in Calif.
Typical government misguided thinking. They fail to realize that when they raise the price, overall revenue drops. But then, California's government is has always been good at shooing themselves in the foot.
ReplyDelete