Community Forums

dieselclacker · 12-04-2009, 02:01 PM

I agree with Linda, please do leave your comments to the Forest Service on the link provided, and while you are at it, notify your Senators, and ask them to support passage of Senate Bill S868, the bill to repeal certain provisions of the Federal Lands Enhancement Act.

Dieselclacker

Superslif · 12-04-2009, 04:10 PM

Even on the state level with states cutting their state park budgets, the overnight camping fees have approched the limit being affordable for the average middle class family. Rv'ing 10-15 years ago one wouldn't really think about the overnight state park fees. Now it takes a healthy bite out of many middle class RV'er vacation dollars. I remember when we started activally camping back in the middle 80's we paid $5-$6 a night. Now that same park is $27 a night and going up next year yet again. I wish my pay was going up...

Gary - K7GLD · 12-04-2009, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBOL

Gary-K7GLD you sure worry about Wal-Mart campers a lot?

OH, not really - but I *do* have my own opinion on the issue - and an old saying comes to mind:

"IF you toss a brick into a pigpen, you can tell how many you hit by counting the squeals"

And it's pretty obvious by the "squeals" in the Walmart forums who the "Walmart campers" are - just as it's starting to here...

BUT, on the subject of fee increases by state, federal and local governments - all of which are turning over every rock they can find or imagine for new revenue sources, consider this:

Hotels, motels, and various other businesses (including RV CG's and parks!) catering to the overnight needs of the public, are commonly charging a "hotel surcharge" as an added tax to local and other governmental entities. And it would not be at all surprising to see those fees increased - AS WELL AS establishing new ones on currently untapped sources - and the various flying J, Cracker Barrel and Walmart "campgrounds" are draining some of that revenue from various governmental agencies - how long do we think THAT loophole will remain unnoticed and untouched?

And IF those outfits start being held responsible for monitoring and collecting even a relatively small amount of "hotel surcharge" for RV over-nighters - what do you think they will do - hire extra personnel to monitor the lots - or simply shut them down to RVing over-nighters to avoid the extra hassle...

Far-fetched?

We'll see...

Our legislators have never seen a tax they didn't like!

.

Route 66 · 12-04-2009, 05:17 PM

Some of the posts in this thread are starting to get personal which is not permitted by iRV2's rules.

Let's get away from that.

Thanks.

Wayne MD · 12-08-2009, 11:59 PM

Well get active and announce to Forest Service, your state rep and senators about greed in government. This plan is ridiculous. FS saw this group of seniors coming up the hill and set their hooks to hook them for all they can get out of them. Its the biggest growing group too. So lets take the profit out of FS budgets and refuse to go to their grounds if they insist on cutting discounts out.

LindaH · 12-09-2009, 07:29 AM

Wayne, this proposed increase in fees (on the backs of seniors and the disabled) is going to the concessionaires. I doubt that much, if any, of the increased revenue will ever find it's way to the USFS.

Chuck 1935 · 12-16-2009, 08:25 PM

The inept Forest Service here in California failed to put enough resources on the station fire that resulted in the burning of 268 miles of forest that they are sworn to protect. Now we have to live with all the ash, mudslide and misery that those fools (FS) created. They are not our friends ! They are not there to benifit us.

melvonnar · 12-17-2009, 07:59 AM

Name change:

From FS campground:
To concessionaires campground
Seems to fit better

Gary - K7GLD · 12-17-2009, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck 1935

The inept Forest Service here in California failed to put enough resources on the station fire that resulted in the burning of 268 miles of forest that they are sworn to protect. Now we have to live with all the ash, mudslide and misery that those fools (FS) created. They are not our friends ! They are not there to benefit us.

Regardless of the built-in intelligence and competence of the FS - critics should be aware that in most states, MOST of the FS annual budget is going to pay LAWYERS to fight environmentalists who litigate and challenge nearly EVERY FS attempt to manage the lands they are responsible for - so precious LITTLE of the FS money actually gets to it's intended target.

Wanna BLAME someone for poor effectiveness of the FS? Put the blame where it belongs - in the Liberal-funded, brainless big city ENVIRONMENTALISTS - the city dwellers who haven't a CLUE as to what goes on outside their city limits - but demand majority input on how rural and agricultural citizens should have THEIR lives and environment operated!

We live out here in eastern Oregon - and see the SAD evidence of that miscarriage of influence EVERY DAY!

Elkhartjim · 12-17-2009, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary - K7GLD

Regardless of the built-in intelligence and competence of the FS - critics should be aware that in most states, MOST of the FS annual budget is going to pay LAWYERS to fight environmentalists who litigate and challenge nearly EVERY FS attempt to manage the lands they are responsible for - so precious LITTLE of the FS money actually gets to it's intended target.

Wanna BLAME someone for poor effectiveness of the FS? Put the blame where it belongs - in the Liberal-funded, brainless big city ENVIRONMENTALISTS - the city dwellers who haven't a CLUE as to what goes on outside their city limits - but demand majority input on how rural and agricultural citizens should have THEIR lives and environment operated!

We live out here in eastern Oregon - and see the SAD evidence of that miscarriage of influence EVERY DAY!

Thank you. Very well stated.

Chuck 1935 · 12-17-2009, 09:02 PM

I also agree with your thoughtful response. You have the same problem in Oregon as we have in California, liberal environmentaists that have never been out of the city. Long live the Spotted owl and the snail darter !!!!

melvonnar · 12-18-2009, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck 1935

I also agree with your thoughtful response. You have the same problem in Oregon as we have in California, liberal environmentaists that have never been out of the city. Long live the Spotted owl and the snail darter !!!!

Please don't think that your the only states that have these folks setting in their little 10 by 10 cubicles, their everywhere.
I think they get that way by breathing the stale air in there cubicles, somehow it dulls the brain cells.

We have one in Florida that thinks that driving over the sand will compact it, every Floridian knows that driving over the sand only loosens it;

I don't know what this has to do with the elimination of the senior discounts; but it certainly gives you the idea of who is making these proposals.

Gary RVRoamer · 12-18-2009, 07:47 AM

OK, folks, this is starting to get more political than constructive. Let's get back to the original topic - the Forest Service proposal to reduce Senior discounts in concessionaire-managed parks.

Thanks...

melvonnar · 12-18-2009, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RV Roamer [Gary]

OK, folks, this is starting to get more political than constructive. Let's get back to the original topic - the Forest Service proposal to reduce Senior discounts in concessionaire-managed parks.

Thanks...

OK: heres my take on the subject

If this happens campgrounds will be empty from sunday to thursday; they might as well close the campgrounds through the week, get ride of the seniors %50 discount and you have no one through the week, I've been to concessionair parks that don't give senior discounts and the parks are empty through the week.

I was at a FS campground in Georgia a while back and it was run by a concessionaire; it was near empty; I saw a FS ranger and asked him why the reason for the empty campground; his answer to me was:
They gave it to a concessionaire and they raised the rates to get rid of, and I quote: "trash", Maybe this is whats happening all over; makes one wonder.