News From
State Representative Ron
Stephens
For Immediate Release: May 20, 2008
Contact: Rep. Stephens
618-651-0405
Stephens: Park Fee Increase an Assault
on
“It’s not enough that the Democrats won’t take any steps to help us suspend the sales tax on gasoline, but now they want to increase the fees on our outdoor recreation as well,” Stephens said. “When will they realize they have bled enough money from the citizens of this state?”
According to the rules submitted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, campers will see an increase in a variety of camping fees for campgrounds located in state parks, fish and game areas, recreation areas and forests, with some of the fees doubling from their previous level. Also, a new supplemental fee will be charged on holiday weekends, typically when demand for camping spots is at its highest. Finally, non-resident deer hunters will see an increase in hunting license fees.
Stephens said that while these new rules were submitted by DNR, they are not totally to blame for the fee increases.
“I don’t envy IDNR right now,” Stephens said. “They are effectively
forced to deal out these rules that will fundamentally damage
Stephens further believes these fees are the result of making state agencies indirectly pay for the wide variety of new programs being proposed.
“This fee increase is nothing more than an unfortunate byproduct of all the unnecessary new programs they’re proposing,” Stephens said. “The state cannot afford this glutton of new programs, and our hunters and campers shouldn’t have to bare the brunt of the Democrats’ overspending habits.”
The fee increases will take effect on Friday, May 23. The supplemental fee to be charged on holiday weekends will not be charged to those who have already reserved campground space over the 2008 Memorial Day weekend.
####