Post by: fireweed on August 23, 2011, 10:28:42 AM
Thank you for your patience as we have launched this new program in less than two months. Here's an update on how things are coming along...
Nearly $1.5 million worth of Discover Passes have been purchased since they went on sale in mid-June. Each week, we're seeing more yellow hangtags in vehicles parked on state recreation lands managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.
Overall, we're pleased with the way sales are going. The Discover Pass has only been required on state recreation lands since July 1. Barely three weeks into it, we're seeing a steady increase in participation. On DNR-managed lands, our field staff report that 50 percent of vehicles are displaying the Discover Pass at designated recreational facilities. We expect that number to continue to rise as more and more folks learn about the Pass.
If you've already purchased a pass, thanks for doing your part to help keep recreation access open. Without revenue from the Discover Pass, the three agencies would have been faced with closing access to outdoor recreation opportunities across the state. For DNR-managed lands, this would have meant closing some of our most popular places such as Tiger Mountain and Lake Spokane.
The Discover Pass represents a shift in how the state pays for providing
access to outdoor recreational opportunities. If you've purchased a pass,
consider yourself a partner in this new, more sustainable approach to
ensuring recreation access now and for the future.
The devil is definitely in the details...
Getting the Discover Pass program up and running has had its bumps. DNR
staff is working with staff from WDFW and State Parks to improve the
purchasing process and communication about where the pass is required.
Please continue to pass along your issues so that we are aware of them and
can work toward a solution. Again, we appreciate your patience as we work
through any glitches.
Perhaps the biggest concern we've heard from the public is the one-passper-
vehicle requirement. Many people have several vehicles they could
potentially use to access recreation land. One of the common questions we
hear is: Why can't a Discover Pass be transferred from one vehicle to
another, instead of needing one for each vehicle?During the 2011 session, legislators considered several options, including
making the pass a per-person permit. But based on research conducted late
last winter, we learned that a per-vehicle pass would generate sufficient
revenue to make up for the loss of state General Funds. Sharing a pass
among a household of vehicles, however, would not raise enough funds to
maintain recreation access on state lands. Research showed that sharing a
pass among households with multiple vehicles, for example, would decrease
revenue by 20 to 25 percent. Therefore, the legislature chose to not further
reduce the funding levels for all three agencies.
Discover Pass makes a great gift!
Looking for a creative way to show your favorite recreation enthusiast that
you care? Consider the gift of a Discover Pass. That's what Bob Schneider
got for Father's Day this year. Read more about Bob on our blog.
Where do you need a Discover Pass on DNR-managed lands?
We've posted new and improved maps on our website showing you where
you need a Discover Pass to recreate on DNR-managed lands. In addition,
we've included a link to a list of these recreation sites, facilities, and trails. Go
to www.dnr.wa.gov/recreation (http://www.dnr.wa.gov/recreation) .
Post by: BENCHLEG on August 23, 2011, 03:47:44 PM
Post by: gaddy on August 23, 2011, 05:22:23 PM
I'm not trying to be racist or anything of the sort but it seems to me you would try to target the user group accessing the area. those of us that might use a boat launch once in a while or maybe have a picnic once a year should not have to pay for daily users.
the allocations of these funds are completely opposite of the areas myself & my family recreate in & i think you need to re valuate the system you are using to gain funds.
we fish, we-hunt, we do not hang out in the state parks so i don't feel we need to pay for those that do
Post by: 724wd on August 24, 2011, 11:00:18 AM
Post by: Special T on August 24, 2011, 11:08:38 AM
First off I think this is complete BS.. I know some one who works for the WA State parks dept
and know that lower income people use the state parks system... 10 years ago a daily parking fees was imposed and park attendance dropped off a cliff. The sates LIE might be more convincing if the $$$ was divided up evenly, but it's not... I won't buy one, but might consider it if the was divided differently and you could transfer it to other vehicles... This is just another way to divide and tax us. :twocents:
Post by: fireweed on August 25, 2011, 09:12:42 AM
Post by: bobcat on August 25, 2011, 10:41:00 AM
Post by: fireweed on August 25, 2011, 12:14:26 PM
Post by: jackmaster on August 25, 2011, 12:26:45 PM
Post by: bobcat on August 25, 2011, 01:28:11 PM
Quote
my honest belief is they found a new way to get their bonuses and what a perfect way than to hide behind this discover pass b.s..... i havent seen one thing that leads me to believe that they are using these new found funds to improve squat...
Well actually the Discover pass was never intended to "improve" anything. It's meant to maintain what we already have.
Post by: bearpaw on August 25, 2011, 01:34:50 PM
Post by: bigtex on August 25, 2011, 01:35:55 PM
Quotemy honest belief is they found a new way to get their bonuses and what a perfect way than to hide behind this discover pass b.s..... i havent seen one thing that leads me to believe that they are using these new found funds to improve squat...
Well actually the Discover pass was never intended to "improve" anything. It's meant to maintain what we already have.
:yeah:
I think that's the big misconception everyone has about this. For DNR and WDFW all the Discover Pass does is fill the gaps of the budget money that was taken away from the agencies because of the budget deficit. It's not essentially "extra" money to improve access sites, it's simply to maintain what we already have.
Post by: bigtex on August 25, 2011, 01:36:25 PM
My wife said she just heard on the radio that it's up to 3 million collected now....
Ya there was a piece on KOMO 4 news yesterday that said the same.
Post by: jackmaster on August 25, 2011, 01:53:29 PM
improve or maintain who cares cause that isnt what its going to be used for, just like other funds that are suppose to be used for specific things and then dont get used for their intended purpose, they rob peter to pay paul, but only after their bonuses are met, and the discover pass is a vessel for just that..Quotemy honest belief is they found a new way to get their bonuses and what a perfect way than to hide behind this discover pass b.s..... i havent seen one thing that leads me to believe that they are using these new found funds to improve squat...
Well actually the Discover pass was never intended to "improve" anything. It's meant to maintain what we already have.
Post by: uplandhunter870 on August 25, 2011, 01:59:28 PM
Post by: jackmaster on August 25, 2011, 01:59:57 PM
Post by: mulehunter on August 25, 2011, 02:01:04 PM
My wife said she just heard on the radio that it's up to 3 million collected now....
Ya there was a piece on KOMO 4 news yesterday that said the same.
What you mean. Do You mean Discover sold 3 million pass already? ?
Mulehunter
Post by: BlackRidge on August 25, 2011, 02:05:22 PM
i think that if you buy a huntn and fishn license you should be exempt from the discover pass :twocents:
Agree'd %100
Post by: fireweed on August 25, 2011, 02:07:30 PM
It is the intent of this act to reform and improve access to
and management of state lands on a sustainable basis for the recreating
public by: Providing a motor vehicle access pass and access policies for state lands; recovering the cost incurred by the state for
operations and management of recreation opportunities; providing resources to address the growing demand and impacts of outdoor recreationists and conservation of our natural resources; and providing effective education and enforcement of state land access policies.
...and it looks like IMPROVE is IN, at least as a pie-in-the sky idea.
Post by: jager on August 25, 2011, 02:13:52 PM
Quote
My wife said she just heard on the radio that it's up to 3 million collected now....
The WDFW commission meeting I watched last night said they are projecting $70 million!
Post by: Special T on August 25, 2011, 04:02:16 PM
Post by: bigtex on August 25, 2011, 07:36:30 PM
My wife said she just heard on the radio that it's up to 3 million collected now....
Ya there was a piece on KOMO 4 news yesterday that said the same.
What you mean. Do You mean Discover sold 3 million pass already? ?
Mulehunter
Not 3 million passes, $3 million in revenue from the passes.
Post by: fireweed on August 26, 2011, 11:56:12 AM
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Washington officials have sold $3 million worth of passes to state parks in the first six weeks of the program.
Agencies said Wednesday that they are optimistic that sales will continue to grow. The $30 annual Discover Pass and $10 day-use pass are critical streams of revenue for the state's parks, as officials plan to eventually wean the system off general tax dollars.
The pass provides access to the state's recreational lands, including parks, trails and wildlife areas. Officials expect sales to increase as the Discover Pass becomes available at vehicle licensing offices.
The program is expected to bring in more than $64 million every two years and will come in addition to revenue the state already collects from camping reservations, picnic shelter rentals and other fees.
Post by: Swannytheswan on August 26, 2011, 12:38:25 PM
i think that if you buy a huntn and fishn license you should be exempt from the discover pass, we sportsman do more for these lands than any other group and we already pay through the nose for it... my honest belief is they found a new way to get their bonuses and what a perfect way than to hide behind this discover pass b.s..... i havent seen one thing that leads me to believe that they are using these new found funds to improve squat... just like the lottery proceeds are suppose to pay for this and pay for that well how come there is never any money it that fund and they have to get it else where.. i think its time for a major interstate and national goverment overhaul... maybe its time for the goverment to made up of people that have actually worked for a living for a good part of their life.. :twocents:
:yeah: I can barely pay for my licenses
Post by: bigtex on August 30, 2011, 01:01:30 PM
Aug 24, KOMO News and AP.
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Washington officials have sold $3 million worth of passes to state parks in the first six weeks of the program.
Agencies said Wednesday that they are optimistic that sales will continue to grow...
They may need that optimism because summer is just about over. :chuckle:
If there are $3 million worth of passes sold (day passes for $10 and annual passes probably averaging about three visits or $10 each)... that comes out to about 300,000 visits assuming no tickets have been written and fines counted as part of the revenue.
Fines from citations for failing to display the Discover Pass will NOT be deposited into the Discover Pass accounts for DNR, WDFW, and Parks. The fines will be handled just like any other citation that is written.
Post by: Movemonger on September 04, 2011, 07:35:33 PM
Where is (was) the oversite? :bash:
Post by: Heredoggydoggy on September 04, 2011, 08:04:59 PM