Utah state parks pass increase

[dubob]

I'll clarify for you Bob. Name the reservoirs where the boat ramp is open to the public without having to go through a state park gate.  I've only lived in Utah since 1977, so I wasn't here when probably all of the reservoirs were built.  I can probably do a lot of work researching the development plans of each of those dams to find out which ones if any were ever initially developed with recreation as the primary purpose.  I doubt that any were, but will leave open the possibility that some could have been.  I do know of a couple of reservoirs that are open to the public and are not State Parks that have concrete boat launch ramps - Newton & Cutler Reservoirs in Cache County.  I've been their and used them.  I have no knowledge of when any of those ramps were built, be it at dam construction time or as an afterthought.  And for me, at least, at isn't worth my time to find out.  But there are some out there.  So, once again Todd, your statement "Utah is one of the few states I've been where they have locked up every public water inside a "state park"." is still blatantly false.

You make an argument that the general public shouldn't be required to pay for state park support of all the great amenities that they do not use.  I know of no such argument that I made that would intentionally support that line of thought.  I firmly believe that the cost of admittance to the park should be one fee for everybody regardless of which amenity they choose to use or not use.  It would be a management nightmare to try to police who has paid for what amenity and is allowed to use it.  How do you propose to verify who has paid to use the restroom, picnic table, pavilion, or boat ramp?  How many more employees will be required on a daily basis to check every patron?

I make the same argument that public water users should only have to pay for what they use. If all these amenities are in such high demand, why is the government providing that. Open up the access for just boat ramp use and let the free market take care of all the amenities. If they are truly in such great demand the free market will provide. Government trying to compete with free market business is never the answer as we've seen throughout history.  The Federal government agencies have been doing that for some time now.  Strawberry & Pineview are two such right here in Utah.  That's really been working well so far - hasn't it Todd?  Let's see; I can buy an annual day pass for 40 some State Parks for $75 (Under 65)/$35 (Senior)  and it costs $120 (I don't know if they have a Senior discount) for a Recreation Utah annual pass that's good for just 2 reservoirs _ Strawberry & Pineview.  Boy, I guess you're correct; the State can't compete with that.

For the record, I think doubling the cost of the annual pass is out of line with inflation.  But inflation exists and eventually the cost will go up.  Go to any State Park reservoir on any weekend between Memorial Day and Labor Day and count the boats that cost over $50,000 coming and going.  Some of them will be worth over $100,000.  Does anybody really think that the owners of these boats have any concerns about paying $150 a year to use that boat anytime they have a couple hours of spare time?