Florida State Parks

JoeH wrote:
I'll renew my efforts focusing on my local representative to bring legislation forward to make the system service the residents of Florida who fund the parks via Doc stamps.

As a non-Florida resident who would like to visit the Florida parks in the future, I would think that my reservations also help fund the parks. And if my fees are higher they fund the parks even more. And my other tourist dollars help fund the state revenues with my trips to Florida. And if the system gets un-friendly enough to non-residents some will go elsewhere to vacation. And your taxes may go up to make up for the lost revenue. But Florida will probably have enough tourists anyway because there is only one Florida and it's pretty cool. I'm just saying there are cost/benefit trade-offs to almost every decision.

I believe some are playing the system.

We've been RVer's since the mid 1980's starting out at the next KOA or whatever we found. We started really hitting state parks in Florida (no Keys) and Georgia after retirement in early 2006. Several close by state parks were our go to destinations when we had the time. Soon those vacant parks were gone requiring a reservation to get a site a few weeks away. It's now become a problem for us even when we book 11 months out to find sites, not just here but in Georgia also. Those same state parks have not touched the potholes, bolder graveled sites, fixed the broken electric plugs or upgraded to 50 amp pedestals with full hookup. Contrary to what another member posted, there are no new state run campgrounds we are aware of within 150 miles of us. Most of these parks we visit have little local history or no recreational draw activity.

agesilaus wrote:


Not in Florida, the parks are funded by a stamp tax on Real Estate transactions. And are also self funded by fees.

You cherry-picked my statement.

Yes, I know how FL SP's are funded. But they can be funded that way because its currently part of the state budget to be operated in that manner. Much like how social security has been raided over the years, the park system is saved only by the will of the current sitting politicians. If FL experienced a major revenue shortfall somewhere else in the budget, what's keeping them from raiding the SP funds? But what if they chose to seek revenue through a different outlet, thus saving the SP monies?? It all comes from the same pot at the end of the day.

If the economy itself is not healthy, then neither will the SP's be. Either because the money would be plundered or because consumption of SP services will decrease. When you boil it all down, its clear to see that no one has earned any greater position of a benefactor of service from public funds just because of where you choose live, how old you happen to be, or where you happened to have worked. To show preference would be to suggest we live in an "equal" society, which is the basis of communism and socialism.

" All state parks are funded by the public at-large, not just native born Floridians (and I'm saying this as a 5th generation native Floridian)."

Not in Florida, the parks are funded by a stamp tax on Real Estate transactions. And are also self funded by fees.

I'm not much in favor of charging out of staters more but if their states are doing it to us then we'd be stupid not to retaliate. Perhaps the fee should only extend to states that do charge Floridians more, Canada too.

lizzie wrote:
I agree that a one-size fits all reservation policy should be reviewed and revamped...
Personally, I would like to see Florida taxpayers get a break on reservations. For example: Native-Born Floridian (before 1940) = 1st priority. Paid property taxes in Florida for over 50 years; add 10 points. Florida state retiree; add 10 points, mother of a hard-working (and underpaid)Park Ranger; just show up and pick your site. lizzie

As a very general rule, any policy that allows a Public Owner to show favoritism toward any group of people is bad for society. Are we to advocate for "local preference" for campsites, while also acknowledging that "equal opportunity" policies have had a detrimental affect on our country? All state parks are funded by the public at-large, not just native born Floridians (and I'm saying this as a 5th generation native Floridian).

If you've driven into FL or paid a nickel of sales tax, then you're invested. And quite frankly, the Federal Government provides a great deal of funding too. Even if you stretched it to say that the feds never provide a penny of assistance to FL SP's, you'd have to acknowledge that the feds pay for other services in FL which allows the state government to put its SP money back into the parks instead of other revenue needs.

But...
None of this means that better measures can't be put in place to allow for more "fair" enjoyment of the parks. No one should ever be demonized or punished for using the current set of rules and policies to improve their situation. At least, that's what the POTUS said when defending his business practices (hey mod, not a political statement).

agesilaus wrote:
....
Sorry that would be unconstitutional, the US Supreme Court recently struck down a Hawaiian attempt to give people who claim Hawaiian ancestry special voting privileges. I guess just making out of staters pay more may be legal since people report other states are doing it.

Connecticut charges more for out-of-staters. It is not uncommon in the Northeast - when I travel I assume I will be paying more at a state park than a state resident.

lizzie wrote:
.... mother of a hard-working (and underpaid)Park Ranger; just show up and pick your site. lizzie

LOL! :)

Walaby wrote:

agesilaus wrote:
"
NPS fixed that by requiring a photo ID to check into a site. That also fixes the problem with people selling reservations. The main problem with that would be coding the database to show how many days someone had camped there in the year.

Given this, what would prevent me from making a reservation, and then my wife making a reservation right after me. Different person, different photo ID etc...

For every solution, someone will find a way around it. I get the idea, but I suspect an airtight solution would be too administratively burdensome.

Mike

Sidestepping the reservation policies by changing the booking name is currently against the Florida rules, per their website. .As I recall, if such behavior is noted, the website says the party will lose nights to bring reservations into compliance, and cancellation fee will be charged. Of course, I do not know what percentage of the time people are caught, but they run the risk of losing the nights they cheated to get and abruptly finding themselves without a campsite.

agesilaus wrote:
"
NPS fixed that by requiring a photo ID to check into a site. That also fixes the problem with people selling reservations. The main problem with that would be coding the database to show how many days someone had camped there in the year.

Given this, what would prevent me from making a reservation, and then my wife making a reservation right after me. Different person, different photo ID etc...

For every solution, someone will find a way around it. I get the idea, but I suspect an airtight solution would be too administratively burdensome.

Mike

lizzie wrote:
Some good ideas here, but please remember that many of the Parks are understaffed and do not have the personnel to do a lot of checking and verifying. I agree that a one-size fits all reservation policy should be reviewed and revamped. There is a lot of pressure for campsites in South Florida and the Keys, not so much in some other parks. There are also more options (State Forests, WMA's, Water Management recreational areas)in other places. As a previous poster noted, there is not much public space in the Keys. Personally, I would like to see Florida taxpayers get a break on reservations. For example: Native-Born Floridian (before 1940) = 1st priority. Paid property taxes in Florida for over 50 years; add 10 points. Florida state retiree; add 10 points, mother of a hard-working (and underpaid)Park Ranger; just show up and pick your site. lizzie

Sorry that would be unconstitutional, the US Supreme Court recently struck down a Hawaiian attempt to give people who claim Hawaiian ancestry special voting privileges. I guess just making out of staters pay more may be legal since people report other states are doing it.