National Parks - Fee Increases?

[Rustysocket]

You know, I'm not sure why I even bothered to post my opinion on this.. nothing said here will ever be taken into account. Some of us will be on one side of the issue, and others on the other side. Each will raise passionate arguments about why they are on the correct side. Few will be swayed to change their position and nothing really will matter in the end anyway. It's easy to choke down this change if your in a group that for the most part is unaffected. For others it will add a burden to what some try to do to ease the pain of the day to day grind. It is what it is. Our country is a mess. For me this debacle is just another example of government agencies gone amuk. So this fee generates a few hundred million dollars, so what. The backlog of work to fix the aging park infrastructure in in the Billions of dollars and has been ignored for decades. How the hell does that happen? How is that the fault of our younger generation? The boomer generation should be ashamed of what they are handing to their children and grandchildren.

Don't forget.... we vote too. Enjoy your SS checks and your pensions while you can. I understand they were earned and well deserved. At the same time you are also guilty of allowing these programs to be robbed and abused by the government you elected.

Again, I have no expectation of agreement here. I've said what is on my mind and that is that. I will excuse myself now and let the geezers get back to patting each other on the back for a job well done. Carry on.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Rustysocket

You know, I'm not sure why I even bothered to post my opinion on this.. nothing said here will ever be taken into account. Some of us will be on one side of the issue, and others on the other side. Each will raise passionate arguments about why they are on the correct side. Few will be swayed to change their position and nothing really will matter in the end anyway. It's easy to choke down this change if your in a group that for the most part is unaffected. For others it will add a burden to what some try to do to ease the pain of the day to day grind. It is what it is. Our country is a mess. For me this debacle is just another example of government agencies gone amuk. So this fee generates a few hundred million dollars, so what. The backlog of work to fix the aging park infrastructure in in the Billions of dollars and has been ignored for decades. How the hell does that happen? How is that the fault of our younger generation? The boomer generation should be ashamed of what they are handing to their children and grandchildren.

Don't forget.... we vote too. Enjoy your SS checks and your pensions while you can. I understand they were earned and well deserved. At the same time you are also guilty of allowing these programs to be robbed and abused by the government you elected.

Again, I have no expectation of agreement here. I've said what is on my mind and that is that. I will excuse myself now and let the geezers get back to patting each other on the back for a job well done. Carry on.

Wow! Just wow! I love you too.

[SloPoke]

Originally Posted by Rustysocket

It is what it is. Our country is a mess. For me this debacle is just another example of government agencies gone amuk. So this fee generates a few hundred million dollars, so what. The backlog of work to fix the aging park infrastructure in in the Billions of dollars and has been ignored for decades. How the hell does that happen?

I applaud our new secretary of Interior for working to fix the neglect in recent years... we should be glad that at least something is being done about it now.

Originally Posted by Rustysocket

How is that the fault of our younger generation? The boomer generation should be ashamed of what they are handing to their children and grandchildren.

I don't think it as a fault of a generation - but look at it as a fault of an administration, and those who they placed in offices to be responsible for these National Parks.

Originally Posted by Rustysocket

Don't forget.... we vote too. Enjoy your SS checks and your pensions while you can. I understand they were earned and well deserved. At the same time you are also guilty of allowing these programs to be robbed and abused by the government you elected.

but we don't get to vote for Secretary of the Interior - that is appointed and ratified in Washington.

Originally Posted by Rustysocket

Again, I have no expectation of agreement here. I've said what is on my mind and that is that. I will excuse myself now and let the geezers get back to patting each other on the back for a job well done. Carry on.

Not sure how to respond to this....

[24travel]

I think it is a shame that they are raising the rates at only 17 Nat. Parks.
Maybe they could start charging a $2 dollars at all the free museums in DC for americans and $5 for foreign visitors. The senior price at $200 would still be a great deal imo, which it will probably be in 15 years before I can buy one.

[DanNJanice]

Originally Posted by Rustysocket

You know, I'm not sure why I even bothered to post my opinion on this.. nothing said here will ever be taken into account. Some of us will be on one side of the issue, and others on the other side. Each will raise passionate arguments about why they are on the correct side. Few will be swayed to change their position and nothing really will matter in the end anyway. It's easy to choke down this change if your in a group that for the most part is unaffected. For others it will add a burden to what some try to do to ease the pain of the day to day grind. It is what it is. Our country is a mess. For me this debacle is just another example of government agencies gone amuk. So this fee generates a few hundred million dollars, so what. The backlog of work to fix the aging park infrastructure in in the Billions of dollars and has been ignored for decades. How the hell does that happen? How is that the fault of our younger generation? The boomer generation should be ashamed of what they are handing to their children and grandchildren.

Don't forget.... we vote too. Enjoy your SS checks and your pensions while you can. I understand they were earned and well deserved. At the same time you are also guilty of allowing these programs to be robbed and abused by the government you elected.

Again, I have no expectation of agreement here. I've said what is on my mind and that is that. I will excuse myself now and let the geezers get back to patting each other on the back for a job well done. Carry on.

It is always good to hear differing points of view, even if you don't agree with them, that is what a discussion is all about.

You make some good points, here are some more.
Fact is, there is less discretionary money available in the federal budget than people think. This is because the vast majority of the money is tied up in entitlements (SS, Medicare, Medicaid, VA, interest on the national dept, etc). Add in the growing military budgets, which now consume what, 15-20% of the budget. That leaves a much smaller amount available for other things than most people realize.
Put that against a backdrop where the average American feels they are over taxed. Then there is the issue of deductions, which nobody wants to give up. After all there are plenty on here who like to deduct their RV as a second home
Add it up and you pretty much get gridlock.

[DocBrown]

This thread made me think about the costs we're really talking about. The nuts and bolts of what it takes us to get to these places. We can grunch all day about the rising cost of entrance fees. It's not the cost of the park that keeps people out. Unless you are local, it's the cost of getting there.

We looked into flying to Seattle and spending a week in Olympic. 2 Round trip tickets from Milwaukee to SeaTac were $950. That's not even considering a rental car and decent accommodations for a week. When all was said and done we were looking at $2k+ for that trip. We didn't go.

Driving was out of the question, 3 days just to get there. If we had towed our trailer it would have still been an expensive trip. As it would for anyone else.

As an example in 2006 my wife and I took our trailer to Yellowstone. I think that trip cost nearly $2k. Not cheap and not something people can do on a regular basis.

I know people who spend $5k to sit on a beach for a week in the Caribbean and have never even seen our national parks.

$70 is not out of reach to those that can afford to get there in the first place. And if you're fortunate enough to live locally you'd probably buy an annual pass anyway.

I think someone earlier highlighted how this is the new reality. It is. WI state parks are no longer subsidized by the state. They are now 100% fee supported. Fees are going up. And the state parks here are still going to be a bargain. We all knew this was coming, it's been talked about for years.

[Bassdogs]

$70 is chump change these days. Face it young or old most of is spend ridiculous amounts on just about everything we do these days. Go to a pro sports or for that matter college game and see what that ticket costs. A movie ?? can't even guess since I haven't gone to one in about 10 years. A meal at a decent restaurant, $100 for 2. If $70 is too much to spend to visit Yellowstone or any of our tier one national parks, then maybe we need to start ??ing what we spend for about everything else these days.

Remember this conversation the next time you shop for hiking boots or those new skies or golf clubs. Rusty this isn't a difference of opinion, its being real about what we are crying about.

[norty1]

Originally Posted by DanNJanice

Then there is the issue of deductions, which nobody wants to give up. After all there are plenty on here who like to deduct their RV as a second home

We get zero deduction from the federal Gov for our rv as a 2nd home. That's a local personal property tax deduction.....for now.

[Sundancer330]

Originally Posted by norty1

We get zero deduction from the federal Gov for our rv as a 2nd home. That's a local personal property tax deduction.....for now.

You better get a new accountant. I write off the loan interest and property tax on my Home, RV, or Boat on my federal return.

[norty1]

Not on a short form.

[Sundancer330]

Originally Posted by norty1

Not on a short form.

This is true, who gets to do a short form, I would give way to much back if I didn't do long form with all my deductions

[Crossingover]

Fees have been ridiculously cheap for too long considering the experiences offered. $70 is just a blip on the experience-o-meter and should be raised regularly just like every other product. With parks they don't have the option of selling a downsized experience like the 12 ounce 'pound' of coffee or 56 fluid ounce 'half gallon' of ice cream.


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