Letters sent.Quote:
Originally Posted by diveconjeff
Total time - 30 min.
Total cost of materials - less than $3
JUST DO IT !
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Letters sent.Quote:
Originally Posted by diveconjeff
Total time - 30 min.
Total cost of materials - less than $3
JUST DO IT !
here's mine, sent to all 5 addresses this morning:
Dear Legislators,
I’m writing to protest the potential closing of Florida State Parks, especially Wes Skiles Peacock Springs, Troy Springs, and Madison Blue Springs. The caves in these springs are among the most accessible to dive in the United States, and are world-famous. Not all springs are diveable, so access to other state parks with springs wouldn’t be a substitute.
Though I live in North Carolina, I come to north Florida to cave dive the springs at least three weeks a year, paying for lodging and meals and gas and park fees, as do many other people from around the United States and indeed around the world. I can vouch for the country cookin’ at the Mayo Cafe and the fun around the fire pit at the Dive Outpost in Luraville.
I understand that the state’s financial realities might make closing some amenities look like a good solution, but I think that in this case there must be another way. These parks have nature trails with informative kiosks, picnic areas, swim platforms, and natural beauty that is appealing to many types of visitors. My opinion is that cave divers would be willing to pay higher fees to dive if the fees were explained as needed to keep access open. I know a fee increase was tried recently, but the extra money wasn’t the reason for raised hackles among the divers - it was the surprise way it was implemented.
Thank you for your consideration to keeping these State Parks open for Floridians and guests.
Sincerely,
Marci Edwards
Our letters just went in the mail.
Mike & Tracy
You kids rock!
The letter below was sent earlier this week by a friend of mine.
__________________________________________________ __________
To whom it may concern:
This letter is written to you in response to the proposed closing of 3 state parks in North Florida, namely Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park, Madison Blue Springs State Park and Troy Springs State Park. We buy park passes, pay park entry fees to private parks and generally we spend $100/person on park entry fees.
Even though I do not live in Florida I visit those springs several times each year. I bring student divers with me on every trip. I teach all levels of scuba diving from entry level open water which I use Troy Springs for to cave diving which I use Peacock and Madison for.
Each time I come we rent a minimum of 4 motel rooms for a minimum of 4 or 5 nights, sometimes 7 nights. This adds up to about $1500, and often times more. We may stay in High Springs, Luraville or Lake City depending upon what dives are planned. We take all of our meals out at local restaurants. That adds up to 80 meals out for the group for the week. This adds up to well over $1,000.00. We buy several tanks of gasoline during the week as we are travelling in 2 sometimes 4 vehicles, this adds up to about $700 or so.
There are several scuba retail stores in the North Florida area that we do business with everyday we are diving. It is not unusual for my students to spend $40/day getting their tanks filled. It is also not unusual for each one to spend anywhere from $100-$300 week on diving equipment from these local stores.
Overall in a week my groups bring about $4000 - $5000 and often times more revenue to the North Florida economy. As I stated I do this several times each year. My guess is that my diving activities bring about $20,000.00 annually to your economy.
If these parks are closed I will be hard pressed to convince my customers to come to North Florida for their diving activities. All three of these parks are high on the list of must see dives for the students I bring.
My students and I both are willing to pay an increased fee for admittance to these parks to help offset budget shortfalls. An annual pass fee of $100-$150 is certainly not out of line in our opinion.
And don't forget to write to your own legislators if you live in Florida!
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sectio...sentative.aspx
Attachment 3671
This article is from front page of Feb 4 Suwannee Democrat. Thanking her and offering to provide her with any factual information she needs might be a good idea.
John Ploegert
Letters ready to mail Monday.
Barney Burdiss
Thanks guys! Great stuff!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelly Jessop
And, apparently, we'll need all the great stuff we can muster, considering what's on the Governor's agenda this morning. See the following Yahoo Article:Quote:
Originally Posted by sskasser
Florida governor to propose tax cuts in budget plan