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 | | From: | Don H | | Subject: | Ohio State Parks proposes new daily use fee | | Date: | Thu, 20 Jan 2005 14:30:08 -0600 |
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 | Since our not-so-great Gov. Bob Taft has gotten into office every fee
charged by the state has increased these past two years. Along with hunting
license and deer and turkey permits the list includes vehical license plates
and on and on...The state has cut back funding to the parks and a
hap-hazzard solution is to charge an admittance fee. ODNR Director Sam
Speck thinks it's a great idea to charge for a daily parking pass. So
everytime a hunter drives into a State Park to hunt they will be charged
another fee. I think it stinks. A public hearing on Sat., February 12th is
planned in Columbus. I urge all Ohio Sportsmen to show up and voice your
disapproval of this proposed nonsense. Follow the link below and also be
sure to tell everyone about this to get the word out!
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/news/jan05/parkspass/default.htm
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| | From: | Plabovitz | | Subject: | Re: Ohio State Parks proposes new daily use fee | | Date: | Fri, 21 Jan 2005 08:23:33 -0500 |
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| Get with the times....I think there are over 40 states that already charge for
state park access, have you followed the systematic gutting at ODNR lately at
the hands of Ohio's less than brilliant legislature? Where were Ohio sportsmen
as that was happening? Everybody wants service but doesn't want to pay taxes
yet alone a user fee....in a small and under funded agency like ODNR (as
compared to other Ohio agencies) you can only do more with less for so long.
Buy a season pass and start engaging the bigger budget issues. If you get
cheap now it will all disappear. Call ODNR and ask what you can do, don't be
part of the problem and for goodness sakes get rid of term limits in Ohio. We
just get some of these idiots trained and they are gone. If we pay more, we
should ask for more. If we don't pay more, we WILL get less.
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| | From: | Matt | | Subject: | Re: Ohio State Parks proposes new daily use fee | | Date: | Fri, 21 Jan 2005 18:02:57 -0500 |
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| Don H wrote:
> http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/news/jan05/parkspass/default.htm
ODNR PROPOSES PARKING PASSES
AT OHIO’S 74 STATE PARKS
Parks Pride Pass to help restore and maintain
Ohio’s award-winning park system
PROPOSED
DAILY PASS
per motor vehicle
$5 resident
$6 non-resident
$4 Golden Buckeye
ANNUAL PASS
per motor vehicle
$25 resident*
$30 non-resident
$20 Golden Buckeye
*a second annual pass for residents costs $20
Beginning in May, visitors to Ohio State Parks will be required to
display Parks Pride Passes on their motor vehicles, under rules proposed
today by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
The rules, filed with the legislature’s Joint Committee on Agency Rule
Review (JCARR), will allow Ohio State Parks to collect $5 for each daily
parking pass. An annual pass, good for unlimited park visits for 12
months from the date of purchase, will cost $25. JCARR will have 90 days
to review and approve the proposed rules.
If the rules are approved, Ohio will become the 45th state to enact a
user fee in its park system.
Out-of-state visitors will pay $6 daily or $30 annually per vehicle for
a pass, and Golden Buckeye Card holders $4 daily and $20 annually. A
majority of monies generated from the sale of passes will be returned to
the park where they are collected. The balance will go into a special
fund to support day-to-day operations and maintenance in all 74 state parks.
“By displaying Parks Pride Passes, visitors will show their personal
support for Ohio’s award-winning state park system,” said ODNR Director
Sam Speck. “It is their way of saying: ‘We appreciate the value Ohio
State Parks offer and we want to help protect, restore and maintain our
parks for families today and into the future.’”
Hear More
from Parks Chief Dan West
MPeg
QuickTime
Windows Media
Introduction of the Parks Pride Pass marks a milestone in the 56-year
history of Ohio State Parks. While general revenue funds and user fees
generated from camping, boat dock rentals and concessionaire contracts
have traditionally supported the cost of operating the state parks,
those sources are no longer sufficient to ensure the standard of
excellence for which Ohio State Parks are known, according to Speck.
“Continued reductions will place our wonderful state park heritage at
risk and threaten the reputation of our parks as wholesome,
family-oriented destinations,” he said.
Faced with increasingly difficult budget challenges and cutbacks in
state funding over the last five years, the park system has responded
with significant reductions in staffing, maintenance and visitor
services. For example, Ohio State Parks employed 607 full-time staff
members in 2000, but cut that number to 490 employees in 2004. Only 42
of the system’s 74 parks now have on-site managers.
“In recent years, more and more of the state’s budget has been
allocated to Ohio’s other needs. Meanwhile, despite staff reductions and
other belt-tightening, the costs associated with maintaining and
operating state park facilities have steadily increased.
The Parks Pride Pass will help fill that gap, ensuring that Ohio
families will continue to enjoy the level of service they have come to
know in their state parks,” Speck said.
Because each of Ohio’s state parks is unique in character and layout,
administration of the Parks Pride Pass will vary from facility to
facility. At the busiest locations, park staff will have passes
available for motorists as they enter designated parking areas.
At less-busy parks and times, motorists will use an “honor system” drop
box to obtain a pass. Parking passes will not be necessary for walk-in
visitors.
Annual passes will be available for purchase at most Ohio State offices,
campgrounds and lodges, at selected retail locations within individual
parks, online, or by calling 1-866-OHIOPARKS (1-866-644-6727), later
this spring after the proposed rule becomes effective.
Ohio State Parks will hold a public hearing at 1 p.m. on Saturday,
February 12, at the Ohio Historical Center, Interstate 71 and 17th Ave.,
in Columbus to accept public comment on the proposed rules.
Ohio State Parks are the third most-visited state park system in the
country. Only California and New York average more visitors each year to
their state parks. In 1997, Ohio State Parks became the first state park
system to receive the Gold Medal for Excellence from the National
Recreation and Park Association as the top state park system in the country.
Media Relations
(614) 265-6860
(614) 265-6882
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| | From: | Dave | | Subject: | Re: Ohio State Parks proposes new daily use fee | | Date: | Fri, 21 Jan 2005 10:35:16 -0600 |
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| "Don H" wrote in message
news:csmfst$7t3$1@sulawesi-fi.lerc.nasa.gov...
snip
> So everytime a hunter drives into a State Park to hunt they will be
> charged
> another fee.
True, but every time a non-hunter drives into a park they will pay also. At
least now they will be contributing their fair share and hopefully that will
help keep hunter's license fees from rising (they really should go down but
we know that will never happen). Texas went this route several years ago and
we continue to have some of the lowest license fees in the nation. Well
worth it in my opinion.
Dave
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| | From: | Frank Logullo | | Subject: | Re: Ohio State Parks proposes new daily use fee | | Date: | Fri, 21 Jan 2005 10:35:18 -0600 |
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| "Don H" wrote in message
news:csmfst$7t3$1@sulawesi-fi.lerc.nasa.gov...
> Since our not-so-great Gov. Bob Taft has gotten into office every fee
> charged by the state has increased these past two years. Along with
hunting
> license and deer and turkey permits the list includes vehical license
plates
> and on and on...The state has cut back funding to the parks and a
> hap-hazzard solution is to charge an admittance fee. ODNR Director Sam
> Speck thinks it's a great idea to charge for a daily parking pass. So
> everytime a hunter drives into a State Park to hunt they will be charged
> another fee. I think it stinks. A public hearing on Sat., February 12th
is
> planned in Columbus. I urge all Ohio Sportsmen to show up and voice your
> disapproval of this proposed nonsense. Follow the link below and also be
> sure to tell everyone about this to get the word out!
>
State parks in DE also require fee. Actually good deal for the seashore
parks where for about $3/day for resident, you get parking close to beach
with free showers. Fees waved off-season otherwise hunters would pay too.
Funny story was of fellow hunter helping wardens fix hunting platforms in
summer and other warden gave him a ticket for not having a park pass.
Frank
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