Drivers to pay $5 to enjoy state park

[zbdent]

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/2005/03/08/news/local/11079322.htm

From the Akron Beacon Journal:

COLUMBUS - Beginning in May, motorists will have to pay $5 to park a vehicle at any of Ohio's 74 state parks as the state raises taxes and fees to balance the budget.

The fee will raise about $3 million in the first full year and up to $5 million in the second year.

The increase was proposed by Gov. Bob Taft and allowed to go into effect Monday by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule and Review -- a legislative committee that approves changes in state regulations.

<snip>

Mind you, the state is controlled by the Repukes, who could have shot this down.

I had to laugh. The local morning jerk, er, jock on the Akron station (vehemently pro-Repuke) was ranting and raving, saying "Taft has got to go!". His reasoning (against the "user fees" - remember, it's not a tax!!!)? "You already have paid to use the parks!" Funny, I still remember that the taxpayers & smokers & alcoholics paid for Gund Arena, Jacobs' Field, and the Browns Stadium, but none of the above gets a free pass into there, either.

Of course, the sheeple that listen to this ass's every word as if it were the sermon on the mount will forget that Taft is term-limited, and cannot be re-elected.

A scenario I'm keeping an eye out for is this: Pressure comes up for Taft to resign. This would move the Lt. Gov. to take up the rest of the 2005-2006 term, allowing the LG to run as the "incumbent" . . .

But I still believe that Blackwell is going to be the GOP frontrunner in Ohio.

[Kolesar]

1. How about a tax on fast food to pay for the parks?

The new fees won't cover capital projects, it will only cover routine maintenence and trash collection. So why don't we tax the source of trash? Fast food wrappers and pop bottles?

[mongo]

2. We'll be closing some parks down in a couple of years

Due to not enough fees being collected. This is just a ploy to strangle the park system.

The big ones with the lodge and cabins and restaurant will stay open, but the smaller ones will close.

[Kolesar]

3. But, but, they will turn back into...wilderness!

if you do that. That was actually the comments made by someone advocating parking fees to fund the parks. Some of these parks could become just a gravel parking lot and a trailhead. I think the birds would not mind it.

[zbdent]

10. Unlikely that they'll go to "wilderness". More likely -

that the state will be so concerned with "funds" that they'll have to sell off the land - to rich donors who likely have been licking their lips at having primo real estate.

Found out that the land where the Brecksville (Ohio) VA sits on is not owned by the Government (???) but by the city of Brecksville. Brecksville probably got tired of not getting enough $$$ from some prime real estate on the edge of the limits, so now the Feds are pulling out (under the guise of "consolidation") of one of the better locations, and the offices will start to fill up with "businesses". Trouble is, there are several "office parks" around that area to begin with (BF Goodrich pulled out of there several years ago). Plus, for the first time in decades, the parking areas were redone, which now alleviates the overcrowded parking that plagued the hospital. Nice, how the Federal government not only paid for the expanded parking lot for a place they're going to pull out of in 5 years, but also redid a lot of the interior work that they hadn't bothered with.

[liberal N proud]

4. User Fee, Sales Tax all taxes on those who can least afford them

Face it, State Parks are not used by the wealthy, they are used by the middle and lower class. Mostly people who can not afford to drive to Yellowstone for the summer vacation. So they pack up the camper or tent and take the kids to the State Park for a weekend or two during the summer months.

[Malva Zebrina]

5. Exactly

why should I pay for them to have a good time on my money when I don't use the park? Let them go to a motel and pay $75.00 a night like the rest of us or buy a big RV that gets 5 MPG and park it in a real private campground so mama does not have to use the shared shower or bathroom with the lower class <sarcasm> I have been to many many state parks all over the east coast as well as national parks. I have met so many many real down to earth good people and friendly people. Most are families happy to be out and camping and enjoying the lakes,boating, fishing, hiking trails or whatever.

[madmom]

6. Saw in my home town paper a couple days ago...

that Taft was voted worse governor in country by CATO Institute. Man I could have told them that several years ago!!!

[Kolesar]

7. Taft wasn't mean enough for CATO

Cato would have wanted him to cut Medicaid and school funding more to get the taxes down. Libertarians

[skippythwndrdog]

8. Bob Taft...hated by Dems and Reps alike.

I don't know anybody who likes him. A 'pup neighbor said that the biggest cheers at a Blackwell speech were when Blackwell said "Bob Taft will be term limited out of office". If everybody hates him, you know he's bad!

[Kolesar]

9. In defense of Gov-Bob

He did back us in opposition to HB218 , which would have deeded the L. Erie shoreline to the adjacent landowners. He is backing E-check, but that story is not over yet.