Re: RC: Public land use

[Lynne Glazer <lynne@glazer.org>]

>At 12:26 PM 5/7/00 -0700, Lynne wrote:
>
>>The parks are similar to schools, everybody pays a basic fee to 
>>have something that benefits society as a whole.  Those that want 
>>more, pay more.  Private school, horse campgrounds, seems the same 
>>to me.
>>
>
>Well, public parks to me are like public schools, not like private 
>schools.  I'd hate to think my kid had to pay an entry fee to walk 
>in the door of a public school & I don't see paying to walk in a 
>public park.  Once you've paid the basic fee (taxes) to establish 
>and maintain them, only *extraordinary* use should be charged for. 
>Special events perhaps.  But to pay to merely go in.... wow!


What we have here is a first class failure to communicate.  That line 
is taken out of context.  We are paying a basic fee *in the form of 
taxes*, to have schools and parks at all.

Tell me if this isn't clear.

The park where I hold my ride has a charge for use, on the honor 
system, for those who trailer in.  $2 per dog, $2 per horse, I think 
-- I ride to get there, don't trailer in.  There is no requirement 
that horse trails be maintained there, it's a nesting preserve.  The 
user fees allow the park to offer more horse amenities, such as water 
troughs which are cleaned and maintained, hitching rails, porta 
potties, and decent access roads for rigs.

Special events.  I agree.  All the counties down here charge 
$12/night for horse camping.  I have paid $1200 each year to hold my 
ride at this park--this year, I'll let the riders choose whether or 
not to spend the night, and how many nights.  That will be a benefit 
for the many locals who attend but don't camp.

>
>I do understand that some parks which are extremely heavily used 
>might need a system to regulate use, but even so, I do not 
>understand entry fees, and any system for use regulation should 
>still not cost more for the individual than the cost of the system 
>itself.  I think most park fees are like the toll for the Golden 
>Gate Bridge - that bridge was paid for a long time ago, and now the 
>tolls that are collected are used for other things than for the 
>bridge itself.

Could be, but parks don't get as much money in this state 
(California) since Prop 13 passed, oh, 20ish years ago.  For some of 
them, user fees are the way they get much in the way of repair and 
maintenance funds.

We have some real problems in this state--Prop 13 did in mental 
hospitals, so we have all these fine people roaming our streets...and 
parks.  Homeless people with mental problems are one of the hazards 
where I train.  Kind of like the javalinas, sometimes ya see 'em, 
mostly you hear them...or see their scat.

>
>And as for our congress people - what they each have is a job, pure 
>and simple.  It's a job in public service.  If you are a clerk in 
>the government, you pay social security.  Our congress people are 
>not "special", they should be treated like anyone else.  I think a 
>lot of the problems with our government today have their source in 
>the fact that a lot of officials see themselves as being part of an 
>elite that is better and more privledged than you and me and the 
>rest of the working stiffs of this country.  Lif

No argument here.  I support none of the outrageous benefits they've 
voted themselves over the years, especially their golden parachutes. 
Reading about how many checks they bounce, and their horrible 
situational ethics makes me completely distrust them--certainly 
couldn't view them as allies.  I'd be the wrong person to lobby 'em 
for trail support.

Lynne