Fee for Kayaks

[Grant]

Well, it was only a matter of time...

Back when we had to sell our house on the Lake after 67 years, I decided to bring home both the canoe and kayak that were normally stored in the boathouse all winter. We have ample water down here, and I can always strap 'em to the roof when visiting the Lake as a nomad...

So I started spelunking the local DNR and Boat sites, as a friend had mentioned he needed a "Launch Permit" to put his yak in State waters...huh? Well, I found that was true, and bought a two-year launch permit for the canoe. Great. Done.

Not so fast...

The lake near my office here in PA is in a county park. And, in addition to the State launch permit, the county requires a use permit -- another $25 annually.

Something tells me that Pennsylvania doesn't want me paddling...anywhere.

Anyway, until now I always pointed to New Hampshire, saying, "Well, look at New Hampshire -- they don't have any of these stupid stickers required for canoes and kayaks!!!"

Great. So now when I come up to the Lake, I'll need yet another sticker, and have to make yet another stop to register a watercraft that'll be wet just a few times.

I can envision them now making you register your SCUBA tanks...that's when I call uncle and go rogue.

As you were...

[Orion]

Not really trying to be religious here, but weren't all the waterways (for the most part) put here by "God" for our use? What gives ANYONE the right to take money from someone to use a God-given, natural asset? I have the same problem with National Parks and their exorbitant fees.

[Woodsy]

Why can't the small sail & human powered craft kick in? Are they not using the some of the same resources the power boaters use? Do they not occasionally require the services of NHMP or NHF&G?

Nobody seems to have a problem with Power Boaters paying registration fees. (myself included). It was money that USED (thanks to Gov. Lynch) to be untouchable and go into the Navigation fund to pay for NHMP etc.... Now it gets raided to help pay for deficits in the General Fund, leaving NHMP underfunded..... Robbing from Peter to pay Paul!

Unless we want to drown under a mountain of debt, we have to accept a "Pay to Play" system. AS long as the $$$ are not used anywhere else, I am ok with it.

Woodsy

[Orion]

Pay to play?
Pay to walk?
Pay to look?
Pay to breath?

Sailboats do already kick in.....even a Sunfish is required to pay.

The problem is governments, as a whole, are not good stewards of our money. When they run out, they just raise the rates or add new sources rather than look for ways to gain efficiencies or, heaven forbid, cut someone's pet project. For example, why is it that two towns on the Lake charge such different tax rates, one being more than double, almost triple, the other. Or as others have said in this thread, they raid "dedicated" funds to solve problems in the General Fund. Sometimes enough IS enough.

[jmen24]

Originally Posted by Orion

Pay to play?
Pay to walk?
Pay to look?
Pay to breath?

Sailboats do already kick in.....even a Sunfish is required to pay.

The problem is governments, as a whole, are not good stewards of our money. When they run out, they just raise the rates or add new sources rather than look for ways to gain efficiencies or, heaven forbid, cut someone's pet project. For example, why is it that two towns on the Lake charge such different tax rates, one being more than double, almost triple, the other. Or as others have said in this thread, they raid "dedicated" funds to solve problems in the General Fund. Sometimes enough IS enough.

You already pay to walk and ride a bike, unless the only walking and riding you do is on your own land, which you kind of pay to do that as well.
Pay to look, if you want to stop in front of my house to enjoy my view of the surrounding mountains, you will have to pay me a fee to help offset the view tax I pay. That is the only way you get to see the other side of the fence.

National Parks, State Parks, lakes, rivers, etc. are pay to use, because WE as a country decided that we wanted to protect these areas for future generations. This costs money! The impact on waterways is reduced by having designated launch sites along the shores. The purchase, installation and maintenance of these sites is performed by F&G in this state.

I am all for smaller gov't and reduced spending, but these are not the areas that I am willing to see go away as a part of that. I will gladly put a sticker on my watercraft and continue to use them as I do now. I have been in favor of something like this for years. The only watercraft I currently own are paddle craft, so this impacts me in 100% of my water sports activities.

There are plenty of overpaid and under worked folks in most every department at all levels. The tell for me, that that is true, is when a major environmental event or other act impacts an area, there is a posting on most every major media outlet that NON-ESSENTIAL GOV'T EMPLOYEES need to stay home. Start you cutting there!

I for one am invested in protecting the waterways and natural areas for my and future generations.

[jmen24]

I also agree that if F&G was in a pinch financially that the purchase of Downing's, should have never been brought to the table. The idea of having a free state launch on Winni is a great one, but this should have been tabled until the funds could have been raised and perhaps at that point another location could have been looked into, if Downing's was no longer available.

This type of thinking is distorted, but it is also the mindset of many of our neighbors! Buying more than you can cover with existing income!

[Orion]

Originally Posted by jmen24

I also agree that if F&G was in a pinch financially that the purchase of Downing's, should have never been brought to the table. The idea of having a free state launch on Winni is a great one, but this should have been tabled until the funds could have been raised and perhaps at that point another location could have been looked into, if Downing's was no longer available.

This type of thinking is distorted, but it is also the mindset of many of our neighbors! Buying more than you can cover with existing income!

Winni had the perfect pay for play launch site that didn't cost the taxpayers a dime, in fact it paid taxes! It was called Ames Farm.

[fatlazyless]

Originally Posted by Orion

Winni had the perfect pay for play launch site that didn't cost the taxpayers a dime, in fact it paid taxes! It was called Ames Farm.

....and it's a safe assumption(?) that Ames Farm continues to pay huge property taxes to the Town of Gilford even after losing its boat launch business due to a zoning issue brought to bear by a neighbor-abutter attorney????

...it was pretty usual for the NH Fish & Game to set up a fish inspection station at Ames .....during the fishing tournaments for bass or trout/salmon