Unwarranted Cost Increase at Florida Springs

[amphipod06]

Any good crow recipes out there?

This is a funny intermission, so here they are Mike!!

http://www.crowbusters.com/recipes.htm

Dive safe,

Celia

[Line Squirrel]

LOL - Thanks C

[OFG-1]

OK, if this is a unwarranted cost increase, when is a cost increase warranted?

[RN]

Someone should talk with Bill Rennaker (Cave Excursions West) about a study he did a couple years ago about expenditures. This was not all that long ago, y'all remember when the Peacock road fiasco was going on? They closed the park for awhile.

I will not hazard to guess what the numbers were but I had a very VERY interesting conversation with Bill regarding his numbers/dollars injected into the local economy, from park fees, dollars spent on dive gear, gasoline/diesel fuel for transport vehicles, accommodations, restaurants and groceries bought from the local grocer, you get the idea. The number was a much larger number than I would have guessed...get with Bill.

Just look at the Morgan/Huth 2009 study of Jackson County. Over $1 million a year in revenue brought to the county by cave divers. While Luraville is not in that range, I'm sure it's still quite high. Maybe we should contact local businesses, like the Luraville Country Store, and ask them to contact the state. They will definitely see a decrease in sales with a decrease in cave diving in the area.

[RN]

Thanks for the input. 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. Do you think you could help provide me with enough examples specifically related to state parks and non permit systems to prove that point? If I changed my text to "Cave divers have provided the following services to state, county, and individuals" (this is what I MEANT to say, albeit I did a poor job), do you think that would be more effective, or should I keep it to only open-diving state parks only?

My key points were that diving
-Tends to lead people towards being more aware of their effects on the environment.
-Economically impacts local business.
-Has historically provided the public with knowledge that is needed to preserve resources.
-Tends to lead people into being more willing to help with volunteer projects.

Any that you would suggest avoiding, or adding?

Question goes out to Jill, Jerry, Ben, Kelly, Brian/Heather etc who have experience working with landowners and the state and are on this forum as well. I'm sure many of us are willing to help, but I don't have the historical knowledge that you guys do, so I'll need some guidance. I have concern that without guidance our letters can raise a lot of noise and do very little good.

Forget about all the examples. They are looking at the present and the effect it has on the bottom line. The person/people that made this decision think it will raise revenue. What they need to realize is this decision will have the exact opposite effect. That's what the focus needs to be on. Make it direct and to the point. Everything else just detracts from it.

[sskasser]

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/

[jj1987]

Forget about all the examples. They are looking at the present and the effect it has on the bottom line. The person/people that made this decision think it will raise revenue. What they need to realize is this decision will have the exact opposite effect. That's what the focus needs to be on. Make it direct and to the point. Everything else just detracts from it.

Aren't the state parks mostly self supporting? 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?

[FW]

Aren't the state parks mostly self supporting? 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?

The parks may not care, but the county chamber of commerces care, and they have more pull with the state, than divers do.

[metaldector]

Thanks for the link. I couldn't find it. I posted my opinion and I hope others will too.

[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/

Interesting, it you aren't an "Interested Floridian", Politician, etc, then you are just an "Other"