edward
02-03-2009, 09:29 AM
Bill may require fee for bicycling, riding horses in Va. forests
Posted to: Environment General Assembly News Politics Virginia
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By Dave Forster
The Virginian-Pilot
© February 2, 2009
RICHMOND
People who like to fish, mountain bike or ride horses in Virginia’s state forests may soon have to pay for it.
A Senate committee today approved a bill that would let the Department of Forestry require permits for those activities, just as they already do for hunting or trapping.
The permits would cost $15 and be good for all of the restricted activities for one year, said Carl Garrison III, a state forester. People could still hike and bird watch for free, he said.
Garrison said the money will help the Department of Forestry expand and improve its trails and parking areas. The initiative is partly in response to requests from enthusiasts to do more with the land, he said. The proposed fee would only affect state forests - not state parks.
The state currently collects about $35,000 a year from hunters and trappers with the permits, Garrison said.
The bill, SB1473, will go next to the full Senate.
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ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules. Comments do not reflect the views or approval of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language. Due to high volume, comments might not appear immediately on the site. We reserve the right to reject any comment for any reason. Readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment to alert an editor. Repeat offenders will be denied automatic posting privileges.
SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE IN VIRGINIA
Submitted by sully428 on Mon, 02/02/2009 at 8:35 pm.
If only Virginia Dept of Forestry (VDF) was managed as well as the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Maybe I am missing some arcane aspect of public land management. Both use taxpayer dollars for land upkeep and infrastructure. Both employ use and sales tax for licenses and other fees. Both get federal grants, but I noted in the Audit of public accounts that both also spent substantially less than their final budgets by at least $2,000,000 is successive years. The one difference is that VDF has an additional revenue generator. They get to sell forestry products to logging companies with a payback of 12% to the counties in which the harvest took place. How is it then, that VDF needs horse and bike fees, and VDGIF does not?
WOW! YOUR GENERAL ASSEMBLY AT WORK.
Submitted by moose on Mon, 02/02/2009 at 8:03 pm.
The good part about this and other idiotic actions of the state government is that now maybe people will decide to vote all these clowns out. After we throw them out we need to work on getting TERM LIMITS on all elected and appointed public seats.
STATE FORESTS
Submitted by wspeid on Mon, 02/02/2009 at 6:35 pm.
State Parks already charge a usage fee; this would be for use of the state Forests. However, since the role of a state forest is to ensure the operation and maintenance of timber to help maintain a stable local economy I may have to start charging the Commonwealth for my time biking through the trees keeping an eye out for forest fires.
THERE ARE OTHER PLACES
Submitted by nicholasm44421 on Mon, 02/02/2009 at 5:57 pm.
For once and sometimes maybe twice a year I will go to First Landing Park. Not if they charge a fee. Enthusiast may kiss my butt. They only want something at the expense of some one else. With hunting and trapping fees there is something taken out. But for a bike rider....
I will leave the memories when I leave.
Make the fees a dollar a day, five or six a month and 20 a year OK - then that would be reasonable for the avid riders as well as the once or twice a year folks.
USER FEE
Submitted by paulh76245 on Mon, 02/02/2009 at 5:13 pm.
Why are bird watchers and hikers exempt? If you are going to charge a user fee to use our State Parks it should apply to everyone who uses them.
WELL, I CAN ASSURE YOU MY
Submitted by michelleleigh on Mon, 02/02/2009 at 5:07 pm.
Well, I can assure you my family won't be paying $60 to use the First Landing Trails for biking. How ridiculous. I really am interested in seeing how the state can tax taxpayers who already pay taxes for the parks, but now we are being taxed to use the parks we are already taxed for??? I understand paying a parking fee or a parking permit fee, but I don't understand the biking fee. Really don't.
LOL!!!
Submitted by iqdou on Mon, 02/02/2009 at 4:42 pm.
What will this State think of to tax next.....maybe 'personal emissions'??
AN EARLIER ARTICLE STATED
Submitted by perrya97057 on Mon, 02/02/2009 at 4:33 pm.
An earlier article stated that visitor levels were down in state parks. I guess that is a way to improve things when people are not coming charge the people that are. Higher fees always improves attendance.
Posted to: Environment General Assembly News Politics Virginia
More General Assembly news
- Blog: Pilot on Politics
- Citizens Guide: Get involved
- Bill tracking, links, video
By Dave Forster
The Virginian-Pilot
© February 2, 2009
RICHMOND
People who like to fish, mountain bike or ride horses in Virginia’s state forests may soon have to pay for it.
A Senate committee today approved a bill that would let the Department of Forestry require permits for those activities, just as they already do for hunting or trapping.
The permits would cost $15 and be good for all of the restricted activities for one year, said Carl Garrison III, a state forester. People could still hike and bird watch for free, he said.
Garrison said the money will help the Department of Forestry expand and improve its trails and parking areas. The initiative is partly in response to requests from enthusiasts to do more with the land, he said. The proposed fee would only affect state forests - not state parks.
The state currently collects about $35,000 a year from hunters and trappers with the permits, Garrison said.
The bill, SB1473, will go next to the full Senate.
Login or register to post comments
ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules. Comments do not reflect the views or approval of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language. Due to high volume, comments might not appear immediately on the site. We reserve the right to reject any comment for any reason. Readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment to alert an editor. Repeat offenders will be denied automatic posting privileges.
SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE IN VIRGINIA
Submitted by sully428 on Mon, 02/02/2009 at 8:35 pm.
If only Virginia Dept of Forestry (VDF) was managed as well as the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Maybe I am missing some arcane aspect of public land management. Both use taxpayer dollars for land upkeep and infrastructure. Both employ use and sales tax for licenses and other fees. Both get federal grants, but I noted in the Audit of public accounts that both also spent substantially less than their final budgets by at least $2,000,000 is successive years. The one difference is that VDF has an additional revenue generator. They get to sell forestry products to logging companies with a payback of 12% to the counties in which the harvest took place. How is it then, that VDF needs horse and bike fees, and VDGIF does not?
WOW! YOUR GENERAL ASSEMBLY AT WORK.
Submitted by moose on Mon, 02/02/2009 at 8:03 pm.
The good part about this and other idiotic actions of the state government is that now maybe people will decide to vote all these clowns out. After we throw them out we need to work on getting TERM LIMITS on all elected and appointed public seats.
STATE FORESTS
Submitted by wspeid on Mon, 02/02/2009 at 6:35 pm.
State Parks already charge a usage fee; this would be for use of the state Forests. However, since the role of a state forest is to ensure the operation and maintenance of timber to help maintain a stable local economy I may have to start charging the Commonwealth for my time biking through the trees keeping an eye out for forest fires.
THERE ARE OTHER PLACES
Submitted by nicholasm44421 on Mon, 02/02/2009 at 5:57 pm.
For once and sometimes maybe twice a year I will go to First Landing Park. Not if they charge a fee. Enthusiast may kiss my butt. They only want something at the expense of some one else. With hunting and trapping fees there is something taken out. But for a bike rider....
I will leave the memories when I leave.
Make the fees a dollar a day, five or six a month and 20 a year OK - then that would be reasonable for the avid riders as well as the once or twice a year folks.
USER FEE
Submitted by paulh76245 on Mon, 02/02/2009 at 5:13 pm.
Why are bird watchers and hikers exempt? If you are going to charge a user fee to use our State Parks it should apply to everyone who uses them.
WELL, I CAN ASSURE YOU MY
Submitted by michelleleigh on Mon, 02/02/2009 at 5:07 pm.
Well, I can assure you my family won't be paying $60 to use the First Landing Trails for biking. How ridiculous. I really am interested in seeing how the state can tax taxpayers who already pay taxes for the parks, but now we are being taxed to use the parks we are already taxed for??? I understand paying a parking fee or a parking permit fee, but I don't understand the biking fee. Really don't.
LOL!!!
Submitted by iqdou on Mon, 02/02/2009 at 4:42 pm.
What will this State think of to tax next.....maybe 'personal emissions'??
AN EARLIER ARTICLE STATED
Submitted by perrya97057 on Mon, 02/02/2009 at 4:33 pm.
An earlier article stated that visitor levels were down in state parks. I guess that is a way to improve things when people are not coming charge the people that are. Higher fees always improves attendance.