EISPIRATEN

Kit Fox wrote: . . . . Gangbangers who grafitti all the rocks with gang signs written in Spanish.

Kit Fox wrote: I've literally seen 50 vehicles parked in no-parking areas, without Adventure Passes.

AlanK wrote:

Kit Fox wrote:I'm the last person to encourage inceased govt. encroachment on my life.

I think we'd all like to see increased government enroachment on the lives of people who ruin the wilderness. Or the cities, for that matter.

Hikin_Jim wrote:

Kit Fox wrote:Call me a bit insensitive...

Taco, you heard the man. Right underneath his user name and above his avatar. If he had one.

Hikin_Jim wrote:

Kit Fox wrote:Call me a bit insensitive...

Taco, you heard the man. Right underneath his user name and above his avatar. If he had one.

Kit Fox wrote:Call me a bit insensitive, but I would much rather we go through a check point before entering National Forest Land. To gain access, you would need to provide proof of U.S. citizenship, or proof that you pay taxes in the U.S.

Illegals would be denied access, and so would people who collect welfare.

This should reduce the amount of grafitti, and diapers found along all the creeks, and rivers.

Kit Fox wrote:Stopping short of law enforcement / immigration background checks, I know of no effective method to keep troublemakers out of the National Forests, and designated wilderness areas.


The best areas always require maximum effort to find them. The only problem is you have to leave your vehicle in the area frequented by dirtbags, to reach the nice areas.

Rick Kent wrote:I for one certainly wouldn't mind chipping in an extra buck or two but $80 for a National Parks Pass and another $30 for an Adventure Pass and then another $15 or $20 for certain state parks???

The National Forest Adventure Pass is a parking permit issued by the United States Forest Service that permits bearers in the four National Forests in Southern California to park their cars for the purpose of recreation. Though it was introduced during the "Recreation Fee Demonstration Program" (Fee-Demo) which ended on November 21, 2004, the Forest Service continues to administer the program, nearly unchanged, under the auspices of the "Federal Lands and Recreation Enhancement Act". This act, derisively dubbed by some as the "Recreation Access Tax" (RAT), was passed in December 2004 as part of the Omnibus Appropriations Bill.

* Angeles National Forest
* Cleveland National Forest
* Los Padres National Forest
* San Bernardino National Forest

It is the local element of the controversial national Recreational Fee Demonstration Program system that imposes fees on the public to use public lands. Proponents say that local forests need more funding and that user fees put the costs on those who use the facilities. Critics note that the Adventure Pass was promoted by a coalition of companies, including amusement park owners, who would benefit indirectly from the money expended and the loss of a free source of recreation. Critics also note that private lumber companies receive large subsidies from the same Forest Service. Critics further state that most of the money generated has gone for staff hired to enforce the requirement, producing little surplus for local projects.

The Legislative Counsel of California has determined that the National Forest Service may not cite cars for parking on state highways within national forests unless there is evidence that the occupants have used the forest for recreational purposes (for example, the occupants have been observed entering the forest). The National Forest Service invites those who feel they have been cited unjustly to write to an address on the citation to appeal. This determination was made after several incidents occurred where property owners were cited for parking on their own property, in communities completely contained in the San Bernardino National Forest.

Passes may be purchased for annual or day use online or from visitor centers and local merchants. Currently, the fee for a day pass is $5, and the fee for a yearly pass $30. Violators usually receive a "Notice of Noncompliance" and may clear the notice by purchasing a pass after the violation. Punishment of noncompliant individuals has been rare. In theory, use of the forests for non-recreational, First Amendment purposes does not require an Adventure Pass. In addition, using the restroom, stretching, or taking a picture is not a violation.

After passage of the Recreational Enhancement Act in 2004, Adventure Passes are now only required at designated "High Impact Recreational Areas". However, in fact most areas that previously required a parking pass still require one. To avoid a fine, a wise hiker will telephone a Forest Service office to determine in advance his or her permit needs, since adequate signage pertaining to the need for an Adventure Pass is not yet common. Although supposedly many areas do not require the pass, most of these locations are less convenient to populated areas and can be accessed only from areas that do require a pass.

Tim wrote:I do feel bad for the NPS and FS. Their combined budget is about $6.4 billion. That's less than 0.25% of the government's revenue of $2.6 TRILLION last year. Yes, less than 1/4th of a percent!! Not 1%, not even 0.5%, only 0.25%! It's amazing that we as a nation can't set aside enough money to maintain and protect some our country's most valuable national resources. Yet at the same time the government has no problem losing 3X that amount in "unreconciled transactions," pork belly projects and other government waste every year.

$14,878,000 added by the House for the International Fund for Ireland (IFI). IFI, established in 1986, is an organization whose objectives are to promote economic and social advance and to encourage contact, dialogue and reconciliation between nationalists and unionists throughout Ireland. Despite the fact that peace has broken out in Ireland and the Irish economy is the strongest in Europe, U.S. taxpayers continue to fund Sesame Workshop, a shorter Northern Ireland version of Sesame Street; Ben & Jerry’s; a “conference to highlight development opportunities for chefs;” and two three-star hotels, one of which is no longer in business. CAGW has identified $249.6 million for this project since 1995.

Tim wrote:The solution is simple: spend less than the country takes in. Save and pay off the debt.

Sorry I have no specifics other than that. Analyzing a multi-trillion dollar operation would require...oh, I don't know, expertise and hundreds of auditors?

Nah, a single average citizen could do it! Just give him/her a super powerful HP calculator with Reverse Polish Notation. He/she should have a fully detailed solution with nothing missing and it better be here yesterday. If they don't, they ought to shut up and don't complain. Complaining is bad. Very, very bad. Better to just stick your head in the sand. It's even worst than total economic collapse of the United States. So we choose total economic collapse! Hurray!!

*****

Wait a minute! Stop the presses! I have a specific solution with nothing left out!

How about we stop sending $250 million to Ireland to fund children's shows, ice cream stores and hotels and instead send that money to our National Forests.

$14,878,000 added by the House for the International Fund for Ireland (IFI). IFI, established in 1986, is an organization whose objectives are to promote economic and social advance and to encourage contact, dialogue and reconciliation between nationalists and unionists throughout Ireland. Despite the fact that peace has broken out in Ireland and the Irish economy is the strongest in Europe, U.S. taxpayers continue to fund Sesame Workshop, a shorter Northern Ireland version of Sesame Street; Ben & Jerry’s; a “conference to highlight development opportunities for chefs;” and two three-star hotels, one of which is no longer in business. CAGW has identified $249.6 million for this project since 1995.

There's $17 billion more worth of pork belly we could be cutting. Is that specific enough?