Michigan Senate OKs funding change for state parks

[Skunk]

Michigan Senate OKs funding change for state parks

By The Associated Press, found at Mlive.com

November 12, 2009, 2:38PM

LANSING — The Michigan Senate has voted to eliminate state park entrance fees and instead ask drivers to voluntarily pay higher vehicle registration fees.

The funding change is designed to raise more money for a park system that supporters say is at the breaking point financially.

Visitors to state parks and boat launches no longer would pay $6 for a daily sticker or $24 for an annual pass under legislation approved 25-12 Thursday and sent to the House.

Drivers instead could pay $10 annually when renewing their license plate to get unlimited access to state parks, forests, recreation areas and boating sites.

Or they could choose not to pay the fee and stay out of the parks.

Opponents of the bill say vehicle fees should go to fixing up roads, not parks.

http://www.mlive.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2009/11/michigan_senate_oks_funding_ch.html

[spruce]

Wonder what happens if you decide after work on Friday that you want to take the kids camping for the long holiday weekend and you chose not to pay the extra ten bucks when you renewed your plates?

Are you just sol until Tuesday when the SOS office opens back up?

Michigan should be ashamed of itself for the way it funds it's parks.  We have one of the best and most extensive state park systems in the nation and it's alotted almost no money from the general fund.  In fact the park system receives far, far less funding than almost any other state in the union.

I'm afraid that the vast majority of people will opt not to pay the extra ten bucks when they renew their plates.  Only regular users will opt to pay and if you do the math the ten bucks amounts to less than 2 nights stay at the present rate!  I think this kind of thinking may explain why our state is in such a financial bind.  Let's see....lower the cost for the users and the non-users still don't pay anything and we'll make more money!!!!!!?