Discover Pass sales disappoint state parks officials

[Special T]

I have not found a quote where Clint says he is opposed to it BUT He is against the way that Goldburg has maganged a most of the DNR. 

[stuckalot]

$4.7 Million shortfall + $18 Million does not equal $27.2 Million.  With losing track of the other $4.5 Million, they have bigger problems than just a bunch of disgruntled former parks users.   

So they come up short and need to ask for nearly 200% of the difference?

I laugh in their general direction.  What is it about *censored*s that make them always forget to account for the FACT that when you tax something, people will ALWAYS be more inclined to avoid it or seek suitable alternatives?

My first thought too! But I think what it means is that they are projecting a shortfall of 9 million dollars for the year, those numbers were just how much short they were for 1 qtr of the year!

And obviously they are over estimating the number of people who think as highly of our parks as they do

[Fl0und3rz]

$4.7 Million shortfall + $18 Million does not equal $27.2 Million.  With losing track of the other $4.5 Million, they have bigger problems than just a bunch of disgruntled former parks users.   

So they come up short and need to ask for nearly 200% of the difference?

I laugh in their general direction.  What is it about *censored*s that make them always forget to account for the FACT that when you tax something, people will ALWAYS be more inclined to avoid it or seek suitable alternatives?

My first thought too! But I think what it means is that they are projecting a shortfall of 9 million dollars for the year, those numbers were just how much short they were for 1 qtr of the year!

The first part was sarcasm, and accounts for the fact that the article did not explain it well. The second part is my serious point.

[stuckalot]

What gets me is their attitude that people just don't get it yet, and they need to advertise it better. No! People get it and state parks aren't as important to average Joe, as they are to average state park employee!  Wait it out as long as you'd like, people will find other things to do than buy a pass to visit a state park! If they didn't come close to their goal this year, then they're not going to next year or the year after!

[Special T]

Their problem is they just can't seem to prioritize. THEY COULD do some things to solve the problem besides asking for more money. Here are just a couple prioritize those parks that are the most self sufficient. Close/give others to county/cities. Expand camping in parks that are expensive to maintain.(camping is a revenue maker).  These are decisions they don't want to make. There are lots of great people that work for the State parks, but if the parks are going to be relevant they have to change with the times... There are some state parks that should be held onto that would have a hard time. one park that gets LOTS of usage is the Sammasish state park. It gets a LOT of use but very little opportunity to raise rev... maybe it should be given to the county?

[Boss .300 winmag]

I stopped visiting state land as soon as the Pass was instituted.  I don't miss it at all - I just spend my time on federal land instead, or on the reservation, or over in montana, or . . .

I'm never going to pay for that darn pass.   There are many, many places to enjoy nature and wildlife without having to pay such an extremely high fee.  What they offer in return is just not worth it; at least to me it isn't.

 


The state needs to down size the state park system employee's, Rockport State Park has a full time ranger living on site for day use only! 

[fireweed]

State Parks could survive on camping fees, IF it was allowed to operate like a private campground.  But they don't. They have to operate like a nature preserve or Mini-national park, and look at/study/plan for endangered species, global warming, water issues, visual impacts, noise control, law enforcement etc etc etc.  All this exta stuff wastes money and does not generate it.  This  red-tape does absolutely nothing on the ground to "save the world".  Cut all these  money-sucking requirements, and just clean the bathrooms, and they would do just fine. 

[Fl0und3rz]

State Parks could survive on camping fees, IF it was allowed to operate like a private campground.  But they don't. They have to operate like a nature preserve or Mini-national park, and look at/study/plan for endangered species, global warming, water issues, visual impacts, noise control, law enforcement etc etc etc.  All this exta stuff wastes money and does not generate it.  This  red-tape does absolutely nothing on the ground to "save the world".  Cut all these  money-sucking requirements, and just clean the bathrooms, and they would do just fine. 

LOL.  The beast is killing itself.

[JackOfAllTrades]

I stopped visiting state land as soon as the Pass was instituted.  I don't miss it at all - I just spend my time on federal land instead,

I'm never going to pay for that darn pass.   There are many, many places to enjoy nature and wildlife without having to pay such an extremely high fee.  What they offer in return is just not worth it; at least to me it isn't.

Tom, you typed it all out the way I would have.   I refuse to buy the pass.
 
-Steve

[JackOfAllTrades]

The state needs to down size the state park system employee's, Rockport State Park has a full time ranger living on site for day use only! 

They should close that park and sell the land to join it to the neighboring federal land! No one uses it since you can't camp there.
 
-Steve

[JimmyHoffa]

I got the pass but it sure isn't for state parks.  If they were on their own, I wouldn't get one.  The fact that DNR is included, and that there is so much DNR land near me (and DNR land has oodles more animals than most of the other lands) kind of got me to buy it.