Unwarranted Cost Increase at Florida Springs

[KarsticGator]

It appears DEP took a look at potential revenue sources, and assumed that divers weren't as price sensitive as other users of their parks. In addition, divers provide a large portion of revenues for specific parks (i.e., Peacock), but when viewing all of the state parks collectively, divers provide a much smaller fraction of revenues. Therefore, DEP doesn't see these local economic impacts everyone is pointing out. (I'm not diminishing them, by any means.) However, I think the DEP is correct in their assumption regarding divers, admission fees, and price sensitivity.

The real question is, how many of us will quit diving Peacock, Madison, Manatee, Little River, etc., because they start charging us $15 a head? I may be pissed off about it, but at the end of the day, I think doing a dive at any of these sites is worth $15, and I'll probably still go.

That analysis is the only one that will hold water when dealing with regulatory agencies. From a pure business decision perspective, DEP is not concerned about the Lauraville Country Store, and how their revenues are impacted by DEP management/operations decisions. All they are concerned with is how they can keep their organization in the black, while continuing other initiatives (purchasing additional conservation lands, etc.).

[chicken]

When did or does this start? I dove Madison and Peacock this weekend and the rangers took one look at my annual pass then waved me through the gate. On Sunday at Peacock the ranger came up to my truck while I was getting gear ready, looked at my pass and told me top have a safe dive.

[Line Squirrel]

Aren't the state parks mostly self supporting?

No - All but two or three bleed money.

Since they don't get any tax revenue anyways (unless I'm misunderstanding...), will they care about the effect it has on the local economy?

They are part of the annual state wide budget.

[FW]

Here's the link to the DEP's survey referenced at the bottom of the email: http://survey.dep.state.fl.us/DepPub/depsurveydata.do/

I took the survey, and put "Other" and wrote in "diver" then picked "State Parks". This is what I put in the coments field:

I am a diver, and I only come to Florida to dive. I have bought a park pass every year for 10 years for the sole purpose of diving in state parks. If park passes are not going to be honored for diving at state parks, I will no longer have any reason to visit the parks, or buy passes. I will also have no reason to buy food, fuel, lodging, etc. in Florida.

[amphipod06]

I took the survey, and put "Other" and wrote in "diver" then picked "State Parks". This is what I put in the coments field:

I am a diver, and I only come to Florida to dive. I have bought a park pass every year for 10 years for the sole purpose of diving in state parks. If park passes are not going to be honored for diving at state parks, I will no longer have any reason to visit the parks, or buy passes. I will also have no reason to buy food, fuel, lodging, etc. in Florida.

Precisely, I shall do a similar thing but from a resident's perspective.

Dive safe,

Celia

PS Sent e-mails to state rep and senator too...

[netmage]

Am I reading this clarification note correctly; it appears to imply the instructor pass covers diving....
But then it uses the "admission fee" language instead of "dive fee"....

[KarsticGator]

My goal was to demonstrate that cave divers are traditionally a positive influence when it comes to conservation and responsible usage of natural resources across the board.

So, if the DEP's mission is to protect sensitive environmental resources, then why are you fighting to keep them from an additional revenue stream? They are obviously in dire straits, with their traditional sources of funding for of acquisition/protection strategies drying up.

On another note... would you say that cave divers enjoy the parks resources more than others? As an example, do you think someone who is swimming in the basin should pay the same as someone who is doing an extended range cave dive? In other words, shouldn't people be charged based on the activities that park provides you, as an individual?

Let's attack this from another angle. Say the Park Service says "due to budget deficits, and operational shortfalls, we regret to inform that Peacock Springs, Manatee, and other state owned/maintained springs will be closed until further notice. However, if we ask each diver to pay $15 to keep these parks open, then we will do so" What would you do then?

[Line Squirrel]

They are part of the annual state wide budget.

http://www.ebudget.state.fl.us/bdser...00&ai=37000000

[Me]

I took the survey, and put "Other" and wrote in "diver" then picked "State Parks". This is what I put in the coments field:

I am a diver, and I only come to Florida to dive. I have bought a park pass every year for 10 years for the sole purpose of diving in state parks. If park passes are not going to be honored for diving at state parks, I will no longer have any reason to visit the parks, or buy passes. I will also have no reason to buy food, fuel, lodging, etc. in Florida.

I just sent a comment as an out of state diver as well.

[KarsticGator]

http://www.ebudget.state.fl.us/bdser...00&ai=37000000

$2,000,000 deficit.