fee demo updates

[CrackMaster]

The following letter was published in the Pasadena Star - News Friday,

August 22, 2003.

 

 

Dreier Disappointment

 

As chairman of Free Our Forest, L.A, we are very disappointed that

Representative David Dreier R-Glendora has changed his position and is

now supporting the unpopular Recreational Fee Demonstration Program

(Fee-Demo) which is known as the Adventure Pass here in Southern

California.

We have provided the proof that this test program was fostered by the

American Recreation Coalition (ARC) to hijack our public lands for

commercialization and privatization. Part of the ARC agenda with the

help of congress is to eliminate free access to all public lands so

commercial offerings of recreation will be more saleable.

Resolutions against the Adventure Pass Program have been passed by the

California Senate and Assembly, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors

and four Southern California Counties. Dreier obviously believes that

corporate profits are much more important than representing the wishes

of his constituents and doing his best to preserve the principles of

freedom that our forefathers fought and died for.

The day we are required to show a permit to visit our own public lands,

we have lost a very important piece of our freedom. Dreier has either

not read or chooses to ignore the Forest Service Fee-Demo April 2003 GAO

report #03-470 which is scandalous and totally discredits any

justification for this test program.

The Forest Service GAO report #03-503 published May 2003 states “The

Forest Service has not been able to provide congress and the public a

clear understanding of what its 30,000 employees accomplished with the

$5 billion it receives every year and is at a high risk of waste, fraud,

abuse and mismanagement”.

There is plenty of federal funding for the Forest Service without the

Adventure Pass if they were made accountable for the federal

appropriations they receive every year. Their recreation budget has

increased from $267 million in 1996 to $390 million in 2002 as stated in

the GAO report # 03-470.

We hope Dreier will reconsider his position on this issue in the best

interests of our country.

 

Robert W. Bartsch

 

 

 

[klenke]

CrackMaster said:

Dreier has either

not read or chooses to ignore the Forest Service Fee-Demo April 2003 GAO

report #03-470 which is scandalous and totally discredits any

justification for this test program.

The Forest Service GAO report #03-503 published May 2003 states “The

Forest Service has not been able to provide congress and the public a

clear understanding of what its 30,000 employees accomplished with the

$5 billion it receives every year and is at a high risk of waste, fraud,

abuse and mismanagement”.

There is plenty of federal funding for the Forest Service without the

Adventure Pass if they were made accountable for the federal

appropriations they receive every year. Their recreation budget has

increased from $267 million in 1996 to $390 million in 2002 as stated in

the GAO report # 03-470.

We hope Dreier will reconsider his position on this issue in the best

interests of our country.

 

Robert W. Bartsch

 

I tried to explain this very point to my parents and a family friend last night over dinner but their eyes were glossy. I guess I bored them. But this is exactly the point I was trying to make: why should I put money into a system that can't account for itself and the money it receives? You might as well flush your Trail Park Pass money down the toilet because, in the end, it's the same thing.

[chucK]

That's why if you really want a trail park pass to avoid being hassled by the man, you should get one by doing trailwork with the WTA. You get a pass and you know your "payment" goes to the trails.

 

The only downside is that the improvements you make are probably counted as fruits of the NW Forest Pass program.

[lummox]

the short version of the gao report is that the forest service collects just about as much money as they spend on collecting it. not unusual for the fs.

i think its bullshit that money is being spent on visitor displays and shit like that while the maintenance bakclog lingers on. thats true for both the fs and nps.

[Cpt.Caveman]

http://www.traditionalmountaineering.org/News_Beckey.htm

 

Beckey rarely still climbs in the North Cascades, now riddled with roads, trails and regulations. He prefers Canada: "A lot more freedom. You don't have all these rangers doing all these stupid campground checks."

 

Campground checks = harassment by the forest service. I understand there is a difference between harassment and doing your job. Larry the tool and the Forest service head of the Leavenworth Ranger disctrict read it people.

 

If you doubt my definition or comparison then just ask the alpine buddy of this century and last century himself.

[erik]

Cpt.Caveman said:

http://www.traditionalmountaineering.org/News_Beckey.htm

 

 

nice article!

 

[iain]

yeah nice link, Rob if you read this site way to get your say in hahaha

[rbw1966]

Very nice article. Found that Beckey and I share the same birthday.

[lummox]

rbw1966 said:

Very nice article. Found that Beckey and I share the same birthday.

fuck youre old.

[rbw1966]

Some days--like today--I feel really old.

[vegetablebelay]

 

This link was over on some hiking site...

 

 

http://www.vailtrail.com/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=1407