It may cost you to visit a state park
2 comments July 16th, 2008
Enjoy your staycations at Illinois state parks this year because next year it probably will cost you a lot more.
Camping fees went up this year and don’t be surprised if next year you have to pay to get into parks and don’t be surprised if you have to pay more to fish and hunt.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has seen its budget cut substantially since Gov. Rod Blagojevich took office in 2003. I
Most of the reduction is in personnel and it’s not all Blagojevich’s fault. Some of that was because of an early retirement program under George Ryan’s administration, but Blagojevich has continued to cut away at the DNR.
His latest cuts could close Wildlife State Park, a 2,000 acre zoological park near Peoria.
Adriana Colindres of the State Journal-Register in Springfield reported that the park lost $828,200 in state funding — about half of its operating costs. Unless the governor has a change of heart or unless the General Assembly overrides the governor’s veto, the park’s future is in jeopardy.
Jeff Lampe of the Peoria Journal Star reported that other DNR cuts would include $9 million in salaries, or 11.5 percent of all DNR salary from funds — which would mean 163 jobs lost.
DNR workers have done a wonderful job managing state parks, wildlife areas and open spaces, but they are spread too thin. Eventually park users will notice.
The only way to maintain services would be to raise user fees on the hardworking people of Illinois and tourists from elsewhere who like to use the state parks. I’m not advocating fee increases, I think the budget is being manipulated to force the issue.
Wisconsin has charged people to use its state parks for years, but would Illinoisans accept such a drastic change in policy?
If you’re like me, you wouldn’t mind paying more if you received value in return. But if the money from fees is used just to put a few more political hacks on the state payroll, taxpayers should object loudly.
The governor is proud that he has not raised general sales or income taxes since he took office, but user fees take money out of our pockets just as well. User fees are a tax not called a tax.
