State Parks Dept. to stay. No parks will close. They will cost more-
Otter suffered a big defeat on his plan to hand the parks over to the State Lands Department. Nevertheless, things won’t be the same in the Idaho Parks Dept. or inside the Parks.
Thunderstorm over Harriman State Park. Photo copyright Ralph Maughan
Here is the editorial view of the Idaho Statesman and some details. Our View: Parks get a reprieve, at a cost. Idaho Statesman
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is President of the Western Watersheds Project.
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Fantastic photo, Ralph! It looks three-dimensional. Thanks.
” Fee increases will vary from park to park, said Otter, who cited popular Ponderosa State Park near McCall as an example of a higher-performing park.”
Seems like Idaho needs a “higher-performing” governor.
“It will eventually fall to park users to pay the bills – and it will fall to park directors to devise a fee structure that brings in the bucks but doesn’t drive off the visitors.”
Sadly, this is happening all over the U.S. Parks and recreation are the first thing to go in tough times. And to pay for a lack of governmental support (i.e. taxpayer $$), we turn to a “pay-to-play” model.
It reminds me of the early 1970’s when the first school programs to be cut were the cultural type, like music and art classes along with phys. ed.
Time may change some things, it doesn’t seem like the politicians learn anything over time though.
Salle:
Once upon a time I studied to be an art teacher; I was even certified k-12 for a short time. However, I saw the “writing on the wall” (i.e. how little art educators were appreciated and how art classrooms were used as a dumping ground for children with legitimate behavioral disorders). Needless to say, I didn’t last long. From one dead end career to another, I suppose.
JB
Interesting. I was an aspiring artist, both visual arts and performing arts. Accomplished talent-wise all these years later, I have no illusions of ever making a living at any of it. Those who either witness my performances or see my other works like them a lot. At least I have the knowledge that they are somewhat appreciated and that I’m not just blowing it out my a#*. Every piece of pottery I produced spent time in a gallery…