Skates wrote I remember when I visited Cali the skate park I went too, you needed to wear a helmet or pay a 100$ fine.

There were these bike cops that patrolled around giving you fines, even if you were under 18.

I got fined but as soon as I gave them my address they said never mind, I guess because I was visiting from Hawaii and didn't know any better.

I feel like the government will do anything to get that extra penny outta us. Just like any other business.

002 wrote So I don't like to make a whole lot of rant, but this crap has always gotten under my skin. Here in Washington, we need what you call a discover pass (other states may call it something different) to get into the state parks. This pass is $30 freaking dollars. Is this some break the bank thing? No, but the ideas behind it are ridiculous. It doesn't matter if you're camping, using the boat launch, or just sitting in your car enjoying the view for 5 mins, you have to have this pass. The idea behind it is that they need the funding to keep the parks open.

Ok, cool, I understand you need money to keep the parks open, but there is a ton of revenue coming in and not a lot being spent. For example, they just need to keep the roads drivable, the campsites marked, and make sure people aren't having fires during burn bans and things like that. It's not like they teach classes or anything.

Well, $30 from each person isn't going to keep a park open? We spend $25 per night to camp, and if you want to use the boat launch that's another $10 per launch. Oh, you want a place to park your truck and trailer? That's another $5. You're telling me that you can't keep a park open on those ridiculous prices? You need to charge ANOTHER $30 annually to use a damn state park that is primarily ALREADY paid for by the taxpayers? Really?

In short, state parks are too expensive and they can go out of business because people like me will refuse to go them because I'm not spending $45 just to go fishing (+ the licenses).

BlackAlbino wrote

002 wrote So I don't like to make a whole lot of rant, but this crap has always gotten under my skin. Here in Washington, we need what you call a discover pass (other states may call it something different) to get into the state parks. This pass is $30 freaking dollars. Is this some break the bank thing? No, but the ideas behind it are ridiculous. It doesn't matter if you're camping, using the boat launch, or just sitting in your car enjoying the view for 5 mins, you have to have this pass. The idea behind it is that they need the funding to keep the parks open.

Ok, cool, I understand you need money to keep the parks open, but there is a ton of revenue coming in and not a lot being spent. For example, they just need to keep the roads drivable, the campsites marked, and make sure people aren't having fires during burn bans and things like that. It's not like they teach classes or anything.

Well, $30 from each person isn't going to keep a park open? We spend $25 per night to camp, and if you want to use the boat launch that's another $10 per launch. Oh, you want a place to park your truck and trailer? That's another $5. You're telling me that you can't keep a park open on those ridiculous prices? You need to charge ANOTHER $30 annually to use a damn state park that is primarily ALREADY paid for by the taxpayers? Really?

In short, state parks are too expensive and they can go out of business because people like me will refuse to go them because I'm not spending $45 just to go fishing (+ the licenses).

Hey I work for Washington State Parks and I disagree with you about the fees. It is nice to have the fee so we can keep the trails maintained, bathrooms clean, have staff available to assist you. I mean the discover pass is $30 for a whole year, or you can get a $10 day pass(which i think is a rip off) and that is good for all state parks, fish and wildlife lands, and department of natural resource land. If you don't like to pay the fees you can go on to lands that are maintained by the USFS for free.