BLM access about to be lost
There is a fantastic BLM dispersed camping site in Colorado on the Arkansas River that is in danger of being converted from free BLM camping to an expensive, reservation only campground run by the sta...
Forum Discussion
profdant139 wrote:
Monkey44, I think you have hit upon a great idea -- the stickers would be administered locally, by each forest -- the revenue would be kept locally and earmarked for boondocking. That would provide a good incentive for local folks to participate.
The only problem that I see (and it is a big one) is tourism -- for example, I often go to other states to boondock, not just in California. I probably would not want to pay a full year's worth just for two weeks of boondocking in Colorado. So that would tilt in favor of a national sticker, sort of like the national park pass.
Let's keep hitting the ball around -- there has to be a better way to run the show than what's happening right now. They say if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The corollary is that if it is broke, you gotta think about a fix.
Well, could easily become a annual pass for locals, and a one-week / two-week, one month pass at less cost than annual pass for the travelers. The main thing is keep it LOCAL, keep the funds in the BLM management for that area. It might require a trip to the local ranger station for pass (or mail in before trip) or, a day pass at an iron ranger -- AND a steep enforceable fine for "resident" boon-dockers with no pass.
If the pass is $50 and the fine is $20, no one buys the pass - if the pass is $50 and the fine is $250 PER TIME CAUGHT, then it makes the pass work.
AND - NO private contracts for collection or maintenance. No matter if the private contractor is good or bad, it always cost more to run because profit factor kicks in every time.
One of the main false premises that surround budget reduction ON PAPER is that it 'seems' to reduce the budget because the cost is subtracted from the main budget - BUT, the payout from the pass gets larger to support the maintenance - So, the budget gets smaller but we pay higher cost at the facilities, so it 'feels like' a tax increase by any another name ... and the increased costs become profit NOT maintenance.
If budget reduction reduces our personal taxes by $10 but increases the pass cost by $20 - What does that mean to our wallets??
