National Park Entrance Fee Increase

[ChrisC]

Just read this article a few minutes ago...

https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/10-24-2017-fee-changes-proposal.htm

While I think we would all agree that the $70 doesn't come close to the value you get by visiting these places, it does seem high for those who dont have a lot of disposable income and are looking for a lower cost vacation than, say, Disney. Looks like rather than allocating more money to their department for maintenance and spreading it across all Americans paying taxes, only those visiting will shoulder the cost of the cuts. Personally, id rather pay a nominal increase in taxes for national parks i may never visit if it means others who may not be able to afford higher prices can go.

Thoughts?

 

[406LIFE]

Tell Xanterra to lower their cut first. I can't imagine the prices they charge are even close to fair. I am in YNP and GNP every year and I loathe buying anythign in the park.

Keep the entry fee lower.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Keep in mind this is being done while Interior is trying to lower royalties paid by the oil & gas industry to the gov't and slashing funding for parks in the proposed budget from the administration.

 

[jryoung]

Keep in mind this is being done while Interior is trying to lower royalties paid by the oil & gas industry to the gov't and slashing funding for parks in the proposed budget from the administration.

Aren't you just a ray is sunshine.

Seriously though, can anyone tell me why lower royalty rates make sense to the tax payer?

 

[LCH]

I read a while back that many of the popular national parks are getting more visitors than they can handle with roads, parking, accommodations, etc. I wonder if this is part of the strategy to reduce overcrowding.

 

[jlmatthew]

I read a while back that many of the popular national parks are getting more visitors than they can handle with roads, parking, accommodations, etc. I wonder if this is part of the strategy to reduce overcrowding.

Might be. We wont go anywhere near Rocky Mountain NP because the crowding is so bad. Too bad, sure is a beautiful place but we haven't gone in 4 years now. Traffic finally became too much

 

[ChrisC]

I read a while back that many of the popular national parks are getting more visitors than they can handle with roads, parking, accommodations, etc. I wonder if this is part of the strategy to reduce overcrowding.

That's interesting. I'd have no idea what the right way to limit overcrowding would be, but it is a tough pill to swallow if they chose to do it by creating a financial barrier to accessing these unbelievable public lands. $70 might not seem like much to a lot of us, but there are probably families out there who wouldnt go because of that.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I read a while back that many of the popular national parks are getting more visitors than they can handle with roads, parking, accommodations, etc. I wonder if this is part of the strategy to reduce overcrowding.

It's true. We've created a system of parks that the nation and foriegn tourists love to visit. It's created sustainable economies in towns close to parks and it's also created massive headaches in terms of management. Rather than address the backlog of maintenance needs, congress has punted for decades. They've decided that cutting gov't spending on these programs is more important than actually funding the NPS at the level they need to do their jobs, which would include planning for increased use.

If the idea to reduce attendance to parks is to jack up fees so that people can't afford them, then there's some economics lessons that the SOI could use from any Junior College.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Aren't you just a ray is sunshine.

Seriously though, can anyone tell me why lower royalty rates make sense to the tax payer?

They wrote really big checks to the SOI and therefore have undue influence in this administration. That's why it's good for the taxpayer.

 

[noharleyyet]

Aren't you just a ray is sunshine.

Seriously though, can anyone tell me why lower royalty rates make sense to the tax payer?

Ben can and will tell you every time. He has a vast algorithmic archive of “But Trumps” uncanny...

 

[jryoung]

They wrote really big checks to the SOI and therefore have undue influence in this administration. That's why it's good for the taxpayer.

It drives we nuts when people want to see Government run like a business, we have customers that would pay a premium, and still make money on the products we offer yet still want to run on slim or negative margins. This is why businesses fail, because they don't know how to value their product or service.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Ben can and will tell you every time. He has a vast algorithmic archive of “But Trumps” uncanny...

*Butt

 

[MJE2083]

Man, $70 seems like a hell of a hike. I'm not sure what it currently is at a lot of these places but I seem to recall $20-$30 per car for a week or so. Granted, I get it, probably 90% of the visitors only visit 1 time per year, or even once a lifetime. Just seems silly that you can get a yearly pass for only a few dollars more, and an unlimited parks pass for $10 more.

I'd rather see something like $40-$50 per car for the week, and $100 annual pass. Perhaps start charging a small additional fee for some of the free tours and presentations.

That being said, it's not going to keep me away. I'd rather give money to the national parks than mostly any other gov. agency.

 

[mtmiller]

I paid $80 this year, I will pay $80 next year. That money will continue to be well spent. If this makes it too expensive to take your family to YNP or GNP, maybe your biggest concern should be the size of your family.

 

[Ben Lamb]

We purchase the America the Beautiful pass every year. $80 for unlimited entry to National Parks & a host of other fee sites on DOI & USFS administered lands. Even had to use it on some trailheads on the Olympic National Forest where there was a fee to park & use the trail. I'd be happy to pay 20% more if the proceeds were guaranteed to go to maintaining & managing Parks & public lands. Doubling the price of admission while slashing budgets and decreasing royalty payments from mineral development is a Peter robbing Mary & Paul situation though.

https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm

 

[shootbrownelk]

I've got a golden pass, when I got mine it was $10.00 for a lifetime pass. Free admission in any National park....free picnicking and $5.00 per day camping fees.

 

[noharleyyet]

20 bucks per motorcycle at RMNP in ‘10 IIRC. Worth every penny at twice the price.

 

[Jwill]

How about charging non-residents 10-20x more than residents, maybe that's the answer?

 

[noharleyyet]

How about charging non-residents 10-20x more than residents, maybe that's the answer?

Valid point....Or maybe just charge non resident mineral extractors the exponential customary?

 

[Ben Lamb]

Valid point....Or maybe just charge non resident mineral extractors the exponential customary?

I'd support charging industry the same amount they get charged on private lands for mineral rights. We're giving away our resources like oil, gas, coal at rock-bottom prices and this administration wants to lower them even more, while removing the stipulations that help ensure the outdoor economy remains strong and resilient. It's the worst form of crony economics we've seen since teapot dome.

As a landowner and stakeholder, I don't want my employees (gov't) giving away my resources. I want them to responsibly manage, and get the most for the opportunity they provide - especially to an industry with such large profit margins & existing public subsidies.